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Lizbeth showered, put on her clothes, and got herself together. She still had a few minutes to grab another cup of coffee. Lizbeth made up her mind to find Gray and apologize for her meltdown. She was embarrassed and afraid she might have scared Gray off. How could she explain it had all been a panic attack? She had them infrequently, but when she did, she had no control over her emotions. She heard Gray say she loved her. She knew the whole reaction was over the top and irrational. Now, she had to apologize and fix the mess she’d made.
She double-checked in the bathroom mirror, making sure her eyes did not look like she’d been on a crying jag. The little make-up she wore helped and the redness had almost gone. Lizbeth left the cottage resolved to trust Gray to handle the Dana business. It was a big decision and a hard one to make, but Fanny had said Lizbeth needed to put it in the hands of the higher power, and that, Lizbeth had decided, was a wise choice.
When Lizbeth left the cottage, Fanny was waiting on her porch. She had Gray’s little cooler and a small wicker basket, its contents covered by a red and white checked dishtowel.
“Gray left without taking any food or water with her. I thought I’d pack you two a lunch and maybe she can find the time to eat it with you.”
Lizbeth hugged Fanny. “Miss Fanny, you are the true jewel in the sea.”
“I don’t know about all that, but I’ve seen what happens to you if you get stressed and don’t eat, so I thought somebody ought to feed you. Now, go on get. Relieve her mind, ‘cause she don’t need to be worried about you out on that water.”
Lizbeth made it down to the dock, but Gray’s boat wasn’t tied up. She had not come back yet from her first run. Her next tour was gathering on the boardwalk. Lizbeth made her way through them and walked to the end of the dock. She put the cooler and basket down and peered out over the water. No sign of Gray.
Lizbeth stood at the end of the dock and looked back toward the boardwalk. There were quite a few children in the next group preparing for Gray’s ride to Portsmouth Island. She smiled to herself, thinking how much these kids were going to enjoy Gray’s storytelling. There were several young couples, still in love and enchanted with each other. An older white haired couple held hands and smiled at each other. They had a lifetime of love together. Lizbeth thought you could see it in their eyes, hers still twinkling when she looked at him, his forever on her. Lizbeth wondered if she’d ever have a love like that. They were so rare. Lizbeth imagined it could be that way with Gray, if they could work out their trust issues.
Lizbeth heard a motor slowing down as it approached the mouth of the harbor. She turned to see Gray’s boat make the turn into the “creek.” At the sight of Gray, Lizbeth’s heart began to beat faster. She was so ashamed of her breakdown this morning. Lizbeth hoped she would be able to convince Gray that she didn’t know what happened and she would do her damnedest never to let it happen again. She would make no promises, because promises got broken, but she would make a commitment to work on healing her own hurts and insecurities. She would, however, like Gray to do the same. Lizbeth had come to this realization after her talk with Fanny.
Other people began to join her on the dock. The tour group grew antsy. Lizbeth kept her eyes on Gray, waiting for Gray to see her, hoping for a favorable reaction. Someone stepped up beside her. Out of the corner of her eye, Lizbeth noticed it was a blond woman, but nothing more. Her eyes were glued to Gray.
Gray approached the dock, slowly coming closer and closer. She stood up behind the wheel, readying for the approach. She cut the engine back and idled toward the end of the dock. Lizbeth smiled at Gray’s look of concentration. She still had not noticed Lizbeth on the end of the dock. Once the boat was lined up correctly, Gray took her eyes off the landing and let them travel up to where Lizbeth was standing. Gray’s mouth fell open. Even though the ever-present Ray Bans shielded her eyes, a look of shock and dismay was clear on her face.
Lizbeth realized Gray wasn’t looking just at her in a flash of conscious awareness of the woman beside her. The blonde was almost as tall as Gray. She had a definite Charlize Theron resemblance, almost uncanny. Not the Charlize from “Monster,” by any means, but one of those roles where she oozed sophistication and sex appeal. This woman was drop dead gorgeous. If she walked in a room, heads most definitely would turn. Some necks would be sore in the morning. She certainly stunned Gray.
The recognition came slowly at first. The trickle became a raging river as the memories, of the picture on Gray’s dresser and the Christmas card, rushed into Lizbeth’s head. She had only glanced at the photos and had been mostly looking at Gray. This was the “Dana” in the flesh, and Lizbeth suddenly realized what she was up against. The ghost of this woman had been one thing, but the magnitude of her presence hit Lizbeth like a ton of bricks.
Dana smiled down at Gray, who was still stricken, frozen with the look of panic on her face. The only movement she made was when her head followed her eyes slightly, as they darted back and forth between the two women on the dock. Dana saw this too and turned to Lizbeth for the first time. The full effect of Dana’s beauty became all too clear when she smiled at Lizbeth.
She extended her hand and said, “Hello, my name is Dana.” Lizbeth noted the sophisticated accent of a well-educated and aristocratic Texan. Dana continued, “You must know Gray. I’m an old friend.”
Lizbeth reached for Dana’s hand. She knew she had to overcome her awe and say something. The first thing that popped into her head came out of her mouth. “I’m Lizbeth. I’m a… the new friend.”
Dana smiled and let out a little laugh. Both of their heads turned when they heard the boat engine go back into gear. Gray looked at the dock just once more, before plopping down on the console seat, whipping the wheel to the left, and driving the boat away from the end of the dock as fast as she could, pushing the No Wake rules to the limit.
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“She never was good at confrontation,” Dana said, as she and Lizbeth stood side-by-side, hands on hips, watching Gray make a huge sweeping arc around the harbor.
“I’m learning that,” Lizbeth said.
“How long have you known her?” Dana asked, not taking her eyes off the circling boat.
“Ten days, if you don’t count her tying me up to a tree when I was four.”
For some reason, Lizbeth felt comfortable answering Dana’s question. She had somehow rationalized that it wasn’t Dana that posed the threat. It was Gray’s remaining feelings for Dana that she would have to battle. Lizbeth’s husband James was as much of a Greek statue as Gray. He was extremely handsome with dark good looks that made women of all ages swoon, but she wouldn’t go back to him. Gray wasn’t fighting James’ ghost. If anything, Gray was fighting to get to Lizbeth through the scars he left behind. Lizbeth in turn was competing with the love of Gray’s life, and paying for Dana’s betrayal. It occurred to Lizbeth that people who betray trusts and cheat seldom, if ever, understand the magnitude of the damage they leave in their wakes. The next lover the broken soul becomes involved with pays so much more of the price than the actual cheater.
Dana looked down at Lizbeth and chuckled. “Somehow that doesn’t surprise me.”
“Which part?”
“Gray tying you up. I’ve heard stories. Quite the wild thing, isn’t she?”
“Yes, quite.” Dana intrigued Lizbeth. Of course, she had no idea why she was here, but Lizbeth felt no need to be guarded against her. Dana didn’t appear phased at all by Lizbeth’s presence. Her voice gave no indication that she felt the need to be competitive with Lizbeth.
Gray was still out on the harbor, having made no move to return to the dock. The tourists began to grumble in confusion, looking at their watches and watching the boat circle around again. Lizbeth looked over at Dana. “How long do you think she’ll stay out there? These people are getting restless.”
Dana laughed and shook her head. “I don’t know. I guess I should go, so she’ll come in. I wouldn’t want to be detrimen
tal to business.” She stuck out her hand again. “It was nice to meet you, Lizbeth. Maybe we’ll see each other again.”
Lizbeth shook Dana’s hand. Smiling, she said, “I think I’ll go, too. She still might not come in, if I stay. Like you said, afraid of confrontation.”
Dana’s eyebrows raised above her sunglasses. “And would there be a confrontation?”
“Only between Gray’s need to not let anyone know what she’s really thinking and feeling and the fact that she’s wired up tighter than a drum. She’s bound to explode sooner or later.”
“You really do know her. All that insight in ten days. Must have been an intense week,” Dana said, as they moved toward the boardwalk together.
Lizbeth grinned up at the taller woman. “I’ve had a crash course on Gray O’Neal and becoming a lesbian.” With a touch of sarcasm, she added, “and now that you’re here, it just keeps getting better.”
Dana stopped at the end of the dock, where it connected with the boardwalk. She said what could have been a veiled threat, but sounded genuine, “Let’s hope this all ends amicably, shall we?”
The corner of Lizbeth’s mouth slipped into a wicked grin. “Yes, let’s.”
They exchanged polite smiles and went their separate ways. As Lizbeth left the dock, she heard Gray’s boat starting to make the approach again to the dock. She didn’t turn around. Lizbeth walked back down Howard Street to await the outcome of Dana’s arrival.
#
Lizbeth approached the cottage and had almost reached it before she saw the rear end of the familiar car in her driveway. She stopped. The absurdity of the levels of anxiety Lizbeth faced struck her. There was just the fact that she had become a lesbian seemingly overnight to deal with, the fact that she was in a complicated relationship with Gray, Gray’s ex lover arriving, and now this. She looked to the sky, seeking an answer to how much more she was going to have to handle. Mazie was waiting on Lizbeth’s porch.
Lizbeth dearly loved her daughter, but she didn’t really need this today. She planned to tell Mazie everything, when she knew what to tell her. Everything was so up in the air right now, she had no idea what she was going to say. Mazie was a very intuitive person. She had sniffed something out and come to see for herself. Lizbeth knew her well enough to know she wasn’t going home without an answer.
Mazie was rocking in a chair, grinning from ear-to-ear when she saw her mother. She ran off the porch and hugged her.
Lizbeth was happy to see her, even with the anxiety she brought with her. “Hey darlin’, what are you doing here?”
Mazie took her mother’s hand and walked back up on the porch with her. Her eyes were twinkling with childish delight. “I had to come, Mother. You were being so mysterious and then I ran into Molly.”
“What did Molly say?”
“She just asked if I’d heard from you, yet. Sounded like I should be expecting a call. When the storm passed and you didn’t call, I knew you were up to something. My curiosity got the best of me and here I am.”
Lizbeth had not opened the front door. In her mind, she was cataloguing all the clothing that had been thrown around downstairs last night. She had been too preoccupied this morning to notice and now she was faced with opening the door onto the unknown. She had forgotten that Fanny walked through the house this morning. Surely, she would have said something, if there were undergarments just lying around.
Mazie noticed Lizbeth’s hesitation. She started giggling.
Lizbeth wrinkled up her brow, and asked, “What?”
Mazie could contain herself no longer. She burst into peals of laughter. “I’ve already been inside, Mom. Who have you been having sex with all over the house?”
Lizbeth tried to play innocent. “What are you talking about?”
“Mom! You know exactly what I’m talking about.” More seizures of laughter followed. “I found your underwear under the kitchen table. There was a bra sticking out of the couch cushions, and I know that tee shirt on the floor behind the front door is not yours.” Mazie was whipping herself now. “And if that wasn’t enough, I went upstairs and saw your bed. If somebody wasn’t having wild sex in that bed, I’ll kiss your ass on Main Street and give you an hour to draw a crowd.”
Lizbeth had to laugh at Mazie and the predicament in which she found herself. Between giggles, she said, “I don’t guess trying to convince you I’m a terrible housekeeper is going to work, is it?”
Mazie, who could barely breathe now, gasped out, “Hell no!”
Lizbeth slid her arm around her daughter. “Come on in,” she said, still giggling, “I guess the cat’s out of the bag.”
Mazie took several deep breaths to recover her powers of speech. She followed her mother into the house. “Thank you, Mom.”
“For what?”
“For letting me know there is life after forty.”
Lizbeth threw her head back and laughed. “Oh, Mazie there is so much more to life than you can ever imagine.”
Lizbeth kissed her daughter on the cheek and then left her by the door, as she went around the parlor collecting items of hers and Gray’s clothing. When she picked up Gray’s Calvin Klein underwear from under the coffee table, she glanced up to see Mazie watching her. She was no longer laughing. She stood there with an expression that told Lizbeth her intelligent, intuitive daughter was deriving a conclusion rather quickly.
“Mom, those aren’t your underwear.”
Lizbeth knew not to lie. She was caught. Might as well tell her now. “No, they’re not.” Lizbeth grinned from nervousness and because she really did want to tell Mazie how amazing Gray was.
“Those are women’s briefs,” Mazie declared.
“Yes, they are.”
“Mother! Are you… Is the person you’re… What’s going on here?” Mazie was dumbfounded.
“Honey, come sit down on the couch.” Lizbeth sat down and patted the cushion beside her.
Mazie moved in slow motion toward the couch. She hesitated before sitting down on the scene of the crime. Once seated, she stared at her mother, waiting for an answer.
“Mazie, a lot of things have happened in the last ten days. I was going to tell you. I was just waiting for everything to settle down so I’d know what to tell you.” Lizbeth paused, taking a big breath and letting it out before continuing, “Honey, I’m involved in a relationship with a woman.”
“Oh, from the looks of this place, you’re more than just involved.”
Lizbeth had to laugh. “Yes, last night was a little intense.”
“I’d say. It looks like somebody’s clothes got ripped off just inside the door.”
Lizbeth grinned and said, “Hers.”
“Mom, you’re awful.” Mazie started to laugh again. “Well, tell me about her.”
Lizbeth eyed Mazie. “You’re not freaked out, because it’s a woman?”
“No, I mean it was the last thing I suspected, but no, I’m not freaked out. Of course, I haven’t seen her yet, so I reserve judgment. If she’s a big burly dyke on a Harley, I may have to have a minute.”
Lizbeth beamed. “No, she doesn’t have a bike that I know of. She does have a couple of boats.”
“What’s her name? How did you meet her?”
“Her name is Gray O’Neal and she lives across the street with her adorable grandmother. She’s a native islander.”
“Did you know her before, when you were younger?”
“I don’t remember, but I’ve been told she tied me to a tree when I was four.”
“Is she… I mean, did she seduce you?” Mazie was still trying to wrap her head around Lizbeth’s sudden departure from the heterosexual world.
“Yes, she is a lesbian and no, I pursued her more, I think.” Lizbeth paused to ponder that for a second. “Well, there was lots of mutual pursuit in play, but I started it.”
“Wow.” Mazie was truly dismayed at Lizbeth. “You know, I just never saw this coming.”
“Believe me, neither did I.”
&n
bsp; Mazie was inquisitive. “So, are you a lesbian now?”
Lizbeth thought about the question before answering. “I really don’t know, Mazie. I’m very new at this. I have noticed that I look at women differently, but Gray’s the only one I want. I’ll have to ask Molly if that qualifies.”
Mazie clapped her hands. “I knew that grin on Molly’s face meant she was keeping a secret. I could tell she knew something was going on down here.”
“And you didn’t think a phone call would have sufficed?” Lizbeth cracked.
“You would have dodged me. I knew you couldn’t lie to me to my face.” Mazie laughed, slapping her mother on the knee.
“I have never lied to you, on the phone or otherwise,” Lizbeth defended herself.
“No, but you hide things from me until you’re ready to tell. I was so excited that you finally might be getting on with your life after Dad, I had to come see for myself.”
“You know curiosity killed the cat,” Lizbeth quipped.
Mazie was quick to add, “And satisfaction brought him back.”
Lizbeth squeezed Mazie’s shoulder playfully. “How did I raise such a smart ass?”
Mazie grinned at her mother. “I learned at the feet of the master. Some of the things you used to say to Dad would just crack me up.”
Lizbeth smirked. “Most of it went right over his head.”
Mazie slapped her thigh. “Ha! That was the funny part.”
“Oh God, I hope I didn’t do that too often around you. I never wanted you not to like him. He’s a good father, just a lousy husband.”
Mazie said, sincerely, “No, Mom. I made up my own mind. You’re right. He’s a good father, but even I know not to trust him. He’s always doing something or someone he shouldn’t. I think he’s an adrenaline junkie.”
Lizbeth warmed with pride, looking at her grown, wise beyond her years, daughter. “Mazie, you are still a wonder to me. How you got to be so smart with parents like us, I’ll never know.”
Waking Up Gray Page 20
