“Is that coffee?” Claire asked, pointing to Jamie's mug.
“No, it's tea.” Jamie replied.
She held the cup out and Claire could see the string from a tea bag dangling over the edge. She recognized the paper tag as belonging to one of her favorite English brands, Yorkshire Gold. The mug had a fancy crest on it that looked like it belonged to a university.
“Was that from your school?” Claire asked.
Jamie looked at the mug, her lips twitching in a slight smile. “Oh, you mean this?” She nodded. “Yes. It's one of my favorites.”
“Did you like living there?” Claire wasn't sure why she wanted to know.
“In England?” Jamie asked. “I loved it.”
“Do you miss it?”
“I'd go back in a heartbeat,” Jamie replied. “In fact, I bet you would love the town where I went to school. The cobblestone streets and the old churches—”
Jamie stopped mid-sentence as Paul bounded through the living room door. He gave an exaggerated sigh of relief when he spotted Jamie. Jamie looked perturbed.
“Oh, thank God, you’re here,” he said. “I need your help. Vanessa just called and needs someone to watch the girls, only I have to a photo shoot today. Can I count on Auntie Jamie?”
“Vanessa is Paul’s sister, and the girls are her three-year-old twins.” Jamie explained. “She’s a nurse and sometimes when she gets put on weekend shifts the girls come over here and Paul and I keep them entertained.”
“I told her I could do it last week, and totally forgot,” Paul added. “That was before the shoot on Thursday got rained out and rescheduled. The shoot’s local, just over by the marina, but I can’t work and keep an eye on the girls.”
“It’s fine with me,” Jamie said. “You know I’m always up for a day with my favorite girls. But you’d better make sure it’s okay with Claire.”
“Are you kidding? I love kids,” Claire assured them. Wasn’t that the whole reason she had moved here, so that she could have the chance for a family of her own? Besides, she’d been missing her nephews terribly lately, and she couldn’t think of anything she’d like more than to spend the day with Paul’s nieces. And Jamie. Claire attempted to quash the roguish thought. It broke the rules.
Screw the rules. She was tired of the rules.
“Are you sure?” Jamie countered. “Abbey and Zooey are adorable, but they’re noisy little monsters.”
Claire laughed. “I’m positive. In fact, I absolutely insist on helping you watch them. It’ll be fun!”
Shortly before noon the doorbell rang. And rang again, several times in quick succession, followed by a woman's voice scolding Zooey to knock-it-off and that-means-now-do-I-make-myself-clear-little-miss?
Claire stifled a laugh as Jamie opened the door to reveal two tiny imps, one dressed as a fairy and the other as a princess, with dark curls similar in color to Claire’s own pulled into two puffs on tops of their heads. The girls launched themselves at Jamie, attaching themselves to her legs. A woman in purple scrubs who must have been Vanessa handed over two identical pink backpacks with a grateful smile and imparted a few instructions to Jamie before leaving.
“Claire, this is Abbey,” Jamie said, pointing to the princess clinging to her right leg, “and this is Zooey,” she continued, this time pointing to the fairy. “Girls, this is my friend, Claire. She’s going to play with us today.”
Without letting go, the girls wriggled into position behind Jamie’s legs before glancing shyly up at Claire, then burrowed their faces into the backs of Jamie’s thighs. As Jamie bent to pry her loose, Zooey stood on tiptoes and whispered a question into Jamie’s ear. “Oh, no, not my girlfriend, Sweetie,” Jamie said.
Claire’s cheeks burned as she realized the question this tiny child had obviously whispered in Jamie’s ear to speak. She felt completely mortified. And just the tiniest bit irritated. It wasn’t like she wanted it to be true, but Jamie needn’t have been so quick to set the child straight. It’s not like it was a ridiculous conclusion for a three year old to make. The sheer dismissiveness of Jamie’s denial stung much more than it should have.
Claire chewed her lower lip, uncertain what to think of that. Then she decided it was better to stop thinking about it and change the subject.
“Jamie, do you think after lunch we could take the girls to the marina?” Claire asked. “It might be fun to see Paul in action. I’ve never seen a real photo shoot.”
“Great idea! Did you hear that girls? We’re going to the marina, but only if you eat a good lunch. Now, let go of Auntie Jamie’s legs and wash your hands while I make my famous mac-n-cheese.” At her words the girls squealed and raced into the kitchen. “Sorry about that thing with Zooey,” she added. “She knows that sometimes I have girlfriends, and she’s too little to know what’s appropriate to ask and what isn’t.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard about all your girlfriends,” Claire replied. She’d meant it as a joke, but there had been a jealous edge to her voice that she hadn’t intended and she could feel her cheeks turning pink.
Jamie raised an eyebrow. “Oh, you have, have you?”
“So, you have a special recipe for mac-n-cheese?” Claire asked, changing the subject.
“Yes, in fact, I do. It comes straight out of a blue box, in case you were wondering,” Jamie confided to Claire as they entered the kitchen.
Claire snickered. “You know, I make a fantastic homemade mac-and-cheese, but when my nephews come over, mine usually comes from a box, too. It’s the only thing the boys will eat.”
“Oh, yeah? Maybe you can show me how you make it sometime, and then we could eat dinner together.”
Claire nodded, biting her lower lip. There was a longing in the way Jamie said it that made Claire’s pulse race. Or maybe that's just my own feelings I'm projecting. It was also clear from her tone that Jamie was a little wounded, probably from Claire avoiding her, which filled her with guilt.
Above all, the rules were supposed to keep Jamie from getting hurt. Instead, they were having the opposite effect, and they were making Claire miserable, too. Damn Jay. I wish I had never even heard of Jay or his stupid penguins!
As Claire was setting places for lunch, Paul bounded into the kitchen.
“Jamie? Claire? Have either of you seen my camera bag?” Paul asked, breathless. “I’ve looked everywhere. I need to be at the marina in twenty minutes.”
“Did you check the mudroom?” Jamie asked.
Paul poked his head into the mudroom. “Ah, there it is! You’re a genius.” He grabbed the bag and grinned.
“Paul?” Claire asked “I thought I’d finally take you up on your offer to watch you work. You don’t mind if we swing by the marina with the girls later, do you?”
“Uhh.” The smile faded from his face. “Uh, well…”
“What’s wrong, Paul?” Jamie asked. “They’ve always behaved themselves before.”
“Yeah, well. It’s just that Blake is one of the models today.” He gave Jamie a funny look.
“Blake?” Jamie’s eyes widened. “Oh, Blake. Right. That’s not going to work, then.”
“Who’s Blake?” Claire asked, perplexed. Whoever he was, he must be significant.
“Blake is—” Paul began.
“—Paul’s ex,” Jamie finished. “Really delicate, messy situation. He was a real jerk.”
“Oh, Paul, I’m sorry,” Claire said, her voice full of compassion.
“Oh, yeah. Thanks,” Paul answered. “You know, any other time.”
“Of course. I completely understand,” said Claire, feeling mildly disappointed. She’d been looking forward to watching Paul work. “Maybe we’ll go to a park instead.”
Poor Paul, Claire thought as she watched him leave. The way Jamie had reacted to Blake’s name, it must have been a bad break up, indeed. The guy must have really done something terrible. Claire couldn’t imagine being in Paul’s shoes and having to work with a treacherous ex. If anyone ever hurt her like that, Clai
re would never want to see them again.
Abbey and Zooey gobbled down their lunches in record time and were soon bundled into jackets and ready for the park. It was Claire’s first time walking through the neighborhood and she pointed enthusiastically at the beautifully restored homes as they passed. Jamie did her best to fill her in on their histories.
“Wow, you really know a lot about the area! I’m impressed.”
“Well, it’s a small town, there’s not too much to learn. And I’ve lived here my whole life.”
“It must’ve been so wonderful, growing up in a small town like this.”
Jamie snorted. “You mean as the town’s only freakishly tall lesbian? The one whose best friend, a boy, also happened to be gay? Oh, and black. Um, yeah, sure, it was really great. I fit in so well.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Claire said, flushing. “I hadn’t thought of that. If it was so bad, why do you stay?”
“Well,” Jamie answered, “I mean, it's gotten better. The town has changed a lot. Lots of artists and younger people come here to escape the Boston real estate madness. It feels more open minded, so now it's not so bad.”
“You’re still freakishly tall, though,” Claire teased.
Jamie laughed. “That’s just because you’re so very, very short,” she replied, moving closer to nudge Claire with her shoulder.
Claire felt relieved. Her attempt at a joke had broken the ice, and it almost felt like when they first met over the summer.
Maybe it’s not too late for us to be friends, she thought. There was a bounce to her steps as they walked side by side, each of them holding one of the girls with their outer hands while their inner hands drifted closer to one another, until they just barely missed touching as they swung back and forth. Claire’s fingers tingled with the anticipation of the slightest brush from Jamie’s hand. She stiffened at the realization, pulling her hand closer to her own body and away from temptation.
What is wrong with me, that I can't even walk next to this woman on a public sidewalk in the middle of the afternoon without it getting weird?
Claire turned her head, seeking a distraction. Across the busy street beside them was the seawall, and she could just make out the shape of several people climbing on rocks a short distance beyond. She squinted into the bright midday sun for a closer look. One of the figures was a tall, dark man who appeared to be holding a camera. Paul? It had to be. And there was someone else with him, tall and blond. So that’s the infamous Blake, she thought, scowling. Funny, he reminded her a little bit of Jay.
Claire felt a thrill of excitement. She wouldn’t have to miss seeing the photo shoot after all. It was like a sign, stumbling upon them like this. She could just dart across the road and take a peek, and Paul would never even know she was there. Besides, she was dying to get a closer look at the evil bastard who’d broken Paul’s heart. She started across the street.
“Claire!” Jamie called, her voice sounding urgent.
Claire froze part way across the street and turned toward Jamie.
“What are you doing? Come back here!”
Claire’s head swiveled indecisively, looking first at the seawall, then at Jamie. She remained standing, unmoving. The blaring of a horn a moment later brought her back to her senses. She was standing in the middle of the road!
As she sprinted back toward Jamie, her foot caught on an uneven patch of pavement and she went sprawling across the ground. Brakes screeched as an oncoming car stopped abruptly just a few feet from Claire. Within a fraction of a second, Jamie was at her side.
“Oh my God, Claire! Are you okay?” Jamie’s voice was frantic as she scooped Claire up and helped her back onto the sidewalk, where Claire crumpled in a shivering heap.
Claire’s entire body shook, her pulse pounding from fright. She stared wide-eyed at Jamie and the girls. Both Abbey and Zooey looked terrified, and Claire’s heart wrenched at the sight.” I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” she said. “That was so stupid of me.”
Jamie reached out and took her hand, helping her stand. Claire winced in pain as soon as her full weight hit her left ankle. “I think I twisted it,” she whimpered. “My shoe caught the pavement, and…” Her voice trailed off as she continued to shake.
“Shh. It’s okay.” Jamie shot a dubious glance at Claire’s shoes, a pair of clogs with treacherously thick platform heels. “With those things, it’s no wonder.” She wrapped her arm around Claire’s waist. “Come on, the park is just across the grass here.” Jamie’s strong arms steadied her as she limped toward an empty space on a nearby bench. “It seems like I do this a lot,” Jamie remarked.
“Um-hm,” Claire mumbled, her head resting against Jamie’s arm. “You’re really good at it.” Crap. That had not come out sounding at all the way she’d intended for it to. It was supposed to sound lighthearted, not like she was moaning in ecstasy. She was obviously still in shock from her near miss in the road. Was it her fault that leaning against Jamie felt so comfortable?
“You know,” Jamie whispered, “if you want me to put my arms around you, you don’t have to keep hurting yourself. You can just ask.” She grinned as Claire stiffened and shot her a glance that was equal parts embarrassment and terror. “Relax! That was a joke, I swear. But seriously,” she added as Claire eased herself onto the bench, “we’ve got to get you some more practical shoes.”
Claire gave her a weak smile. “Jamie, I’m so sorry I frightened the girls.”
She gave Claire’s shoulder a light squeeze. “They’re fine. And getting into trouble already. Wait here.” She raced off to the playground where Abbey and Zooey were busy dousing each other’s heads with generous handfuls of sand.
Settling onto the bench, Claire stifled a yawn. The shot of adrenaline that had sustained her before was fading, and her lack of sleep was catching up to her.
“Amazing how exhausting they can be, isn’t it?” a voice from beside her said.
Claire turned to look at the other woman occupying the bench, who looked to be in her early thirties and very obviously pregnant. “You mean kids?” she asked amicably.
“Kids, spouses. Even a simple trip to the park with my family wears me out. This one,” she said, gesturing to her swollen belly, “isn’t even here yet and he’s got me exhausted already!”
“Is this your first?” Claire asked, looking with envy at the woman’s bump and the shining gold band on her left ring finger. She has it all. Probably has a dog, too. After the way she had been feeling earlier, it was like a sign from the universe, reminding her of her goal. Maybe it was a promise, too, that if she behaved herself, this would be her reward. Or maybe that was wishful thinking. Sometimes Claire wished the universe would be more explicit in its signs. The most recent sign had nearly resulted in having to be scraped off the pavement. She still felt a little shaky at the thought.
“No, that’s my son playing over there. He’s six.”
Claire looked in the direction the woman had nodded and saw a couple of boys of roughly that age bouncing a basketball, a few fathers standing nearby. She wondered which of the men was this woman’s husband. Lucky woman, with a husband, a son, and a baby on the way—what more could she possibly want?
Keep your eyes on the prize, she told herself.
“So, are those two yours?” the woman asked.
“Mine?” Claire asked, confused.
“Your kids?”
“Oh, no. I don’t have any kids of my own yet.”
“Oh. I saw you with those adorable twins a minute ago. They kind of look like you.”
Claire glanced over to where the girls were dragging Jamie to an empty set of swings. They did look a little like they could be hers, with their light olive skin and dark ringlets. Her eyes lingered for a moment as she watched Jamie push one swing and then the other in a practiced motion. She smiled, surprised at how effortlessly Jamie interacted with them. Somehow she hadn’t pictured Jamie as the type to be good with kids. But she was a natural, and it was clear that she ado
red Paul’s little nieces. Claire’d just assumed that kids wouldn’t be part of Jamie’s lifestyle.
You mean Jamie’s lesbian lifestyle? Oh God, that sounded exactly like something Aunt Marisol would say. The only thing missing was a disapproving little sniff at the end.
“I was about to be really nosy, too, and ask you if you and your wife had adopted them, or—”
“My—no, we’re not, um, I mean…”
“Oh, my God. I'm so sorry,” the woman stuttered, blushing. “Like that's something you want to talk about with a total stranger. It's just, even the friends who were waiting on principle mostly tied the knot right after the Supreme Court ruling, you know? So now it’s all about babies and are you doing adoption or insemination, and which clinic do you go to and blah, blah, blah—I should really shut up now,” she said with a laugh.
Claire's mind spun. She looked again at the boy with the basketball and realized that the person with the close-cropped, salt-and-pepper hair, wearing khaki pants and a plain button-down shirt, was not another dad as Claire had assumed, but a woman instead. As if on cue, the woman looked up and waved to Claire's companion on the bench.
“Looks like they’re ready to head home,” the woman said, grasping her belly with one hand as she eased herself onto her feet. “I'm sorry for being so rude before. I didn't mean to put you on the spot. But believe me, you and your girlfriend are in for quite an adventure if you do decide to give parenting a try.” With that, the woman headed across the playground, scooping her wife and son into a big bear hug before they disappeared down one of the neighborhood streets behind the park.
Claire was stunned. That woman with the perfect husband and perfect kids and perfect life was married to another woman? The possibility had never occurred to her.
Claire’s mind was still reeling as Jamie squeezed next to her on the edge of the bench a short time later, the twins lagging a few yards behind. She sat quietly as Jamie knelt down to examine her ankle, holding it gently as she rotated it, her expression one of tenderness and concern.
Telling Lies Online Page 10
