by BL Miller
"Are you sure?" Rose flipped a page in the catalog and held it out for the older woman to see.
"Here. There's a toll free number you can call to order one, if that's what you really want to do," she said, her tone making it clear that she did not believe that to be the case. Despite having only known her for three weeks, Rose was beginning to understand some of the little facial expressions and mannerisms that betrayed Ronnie's true feelings. Pencil gnawing meant frustration, fingernail tapping equated to boredom, and the firm yet gentle embrace that held her each night spoke of something neither of them would dare put words to.
Blue eyes looked up from the liquid for a moment, then back down again. "No," Ronnie grudgingly admitted. "I just hate feeling so much pressure. I feel like I have to get the perfect gift."
She opened her mouth to protest, then closed it, realizing that in her friend's family, it was not far from being the truth. The Christmas party proved that. Not only was the entire thing thrust upon Ronnie's shoulders, there had been no sense of appreciation from Susan and Beatrice for all the effort. Rose decided perhaps a different tactic was called for. "Okay then, what is the perfect gift?"
Ronnie's eyebrows lifted, not expecting this reaction from the fair-haired woman. "Um…I don't know, something…something…." She motioned with her hands, causing the wine to slosh about inside the glass. "I guess I never really thought about it."
"Well then, let's think about it. Come over here." Rose raised the head level of the bed until she was almost in a sitting position and patted the space next to her, booting Tabitha off in the process. "Come on, if the only thing you can get her is a perfect gift than let's find one." She turned the pages. "Maybe the trick is to get the perfect gifts, you know, a collection of things that she likes instead of one big gift. Bring a pen, I'll mark anything we find."
Ronnie reached for something to write with, but all her pencils were gnawed and there wasn't a pen in sight. She lifted a small pile of papers on her cluttered desk but no pen appeared. Opening the drawer showed paper clips, spare staples, even a pile of Post-It notes, but nothing to write with. "President of a multi-million dollar corporation and I can't find a pen when I need it." She continued her search unaware of the page Rose was looking at.
That's it! Rose thought excitedly. There before her eyes were pen and pencil sets in a multitude of price ranges and designs. The Mont Blanc sets were exquisite but completely beyond her meager spending level. She turned the page and saw it. There in the center of the page was a nice set, a marble design in a shade of blue that reminded Rose of the brilliance of her best friend's eyes. Hesitantly she focused on the price written in smaller print below and gulped. It would take most of her remaining funds. She looked up to see Ronnie hunting for the still elusive pen, then back down at the catalog. The problem of finding a present for Beatrice had not been solved but another problem had. Rose discreetly bent the bottom corner of the page, then flipped back to the jewelry just as Ronnie found the missing pen and came over to the bed. Rose took the offered ball point and moved the catalog so the older woman could see. "Now, let's figure this thing out. What's your mother's favorite place to visit?"
"Europe. She's taken two of those country by country tours and raved about both of them." Ronnie smiled and, the tension and worry of the last few days drained away from her face.
"That's it! She'd love it. A tour of Europe. I can't believe I didn't think of it before." She took the catalog from Rose and began flipping through the pages.
"Wow…that…that's a wonderful gift." She tried hard not to seem too awestruck but it showed in her expression nonetheless.
"You think that's enough?" Ronnie asked as she looked at the glossy pictures, unaware that Rose, used to thinking in terms of pennies, was now trying to fathom the thousands of dollars a trip like that would cost. "I was thinking maybe a new wardrobe or…" She looked up and was struck by the beauty that gazed back at her. They studied each other for several seconds before Rose gave a shy smile and looked away.
"So um…" She picked at a non-existent piece of lint on the blanket as a slow flush crept up her cheeks. "You said something about clothes?"
"Um…yeah, clothes." Ronnie closed the catalog, no longer having any interest in picking out presents. What she wanted to do was shut off the lights and curl up against the younger woman.
"You know, it's getting late."
"Yeah, I guess it is." Out in the living room, the grandfather clock announced the ten o'clock hour but both women chose to pretend not to hear it. Rose reclined the bed into a sleeping position while Ronnie ran around shutting off lights and checking the locks on the doors. Within minutes the house was dark and they were lying in bed together.
Staring up at the blackness, Rose thought about what had happened earlier. For that brief moment there had been something…special between them. She heard the sound of a fist punching a pillow and wished Ronnie would just roll over and hold her but that usually did not happen until she was almost asleep.
Ronnie tossed and turned enough for the both of them. One particular toss jarred the injured legs and the young woman hissed at the sudden pain. "I'm sorry, Rose. I just can't seem to get comfortable tonight."
"It's all right. It just hurt for a second, that's all." She was glad it was dark as a tear slipped out.
"I'll go out on the couch." Ronnie moved to get up but was stopped by the feel of the young woman's hand on her shoulder.
"Why don't you just put your arm around me like you usually do? You seem to go to sleep just fine after that." She gave a gentle tug on the older woman's top. "Come on Ronnie, you know you'll only end up coming back in here after I'm asleep and holding me anyway." Such had been the case a few nights ago. Slowly, reluctantly the weight next to her shifted and she felt the familiar warmth of Ronnie's body against hers. A second later and her wish came true as a strong arm draped itself over her belly. Rose let out a contented sigh and closed her eyes. By the time Tabitha decided they were done moving about and jumped back up on the bed, both women were sound asleep.
part 7
"So what did you get Maria?"
Ronnie hit the mute button on the remote and turned her head to look at her companion. Oh, we're going to try this again? "A present." The corner of her mouth curled up in a teasing smile.
"Come on, tell me, please?" Rose gave her best puppy eyes. "I won't tell, I promise."
"I told you…a present." She tossed a piece of popcorn into the air and caught it in her mouth.
"Now I thought you wanted to watch this show?"
"I do, but I want to know what you got her too. One clue?"
Ronnie pretended to consider the request for a moment before smirking with a devilish glint in her eyes. "It's not something that Maria would go out and buy herself. How's that?"
"That's a rotten clue," Rose groused, reaching for her cup.
You're so cute when you pout. She reached the cup first and stood up. "Ah, empty. You want more?"
"No, I've had enough hot chocolate for tonight. Any more and I'll be up half the night." She held her hand out. "Come on, sit down and relax. You're missing the show."
"Do you want the snack tray up or down?"
"Up. We won't need it anymore," Rose answered.
"Sure, no problem." Ronnie complied instantly, knowing that the snack tray going up was a prelude to something far more enjoyable than watching a television show. She set the empty mug on the coffee table and returned to her cushion, this time with her feet up and resting between them. "Oooh," she gave an exaggerated groan and wiggled her toes.
"Do your feet ache?" Rose asked.
"Nothing worse than usual," she replied. Ah, yes…you know what I want, she thought to herself as she felt her feet being pulled into Rose's lap. I hope your fingers aren't tired tonight. She lifted her heel in response to the gentle tug on her sock. Soon she was barefoot and Rose's knowledgeable fingers rubbed out the aches of the day and she had no choice but to moan with pleasure. "You
do that soooo well…."
"It's easy with you. I know just where to push and rub." Rose demonstrated her skill by pressing her thumb firmly across the arch of Ronnie's left foot.
"Mmm, you can stop in about…oh, seven or eight hours." She closed her eyes and sighed. This is so nice.
"Or maybe I'll stop if you don't tell me what present you got Maria." Her fingers stilled as if to carry out her threat.
"You drive a hard bargain," Ronnie admitted. "It's not much, just a plane ticket."
"A plane ticket? To where?"
"Arizona."
"That's where her son is," Rose remembered.
"She hasn't seen him in over a year. I thought she might like to take a trip out to visit him." She raised an eyebrow. "So are you going to continue?" She stressed her point by wiggling her toes.
Rose laughed and continued the massage. It had become an unspoken ritual between them. Ronnie would groan about her feet and she would immediately offer to rub them. They would spend hours on the couch like that, Rose sitting in the reclined position with her legs straight out and Ronnie lying across the length of the couch with her feet being pampered. The younger woman only paid a passing glance at the television as her attention focused on the soft flesh beneath her fingers.
Rose took special pleasure in rubbing Ronnie's feet. With the exception of cuddling at night it was the only physical contact they generally shared. She could not explain why, but it made her smile to hear the hedonistic groans coming from her friend's lips in reaction to her fingers. With all the stress over the audit and Tommy not speaking to anyone but his mother, the massages were one of the few things that brought a smile to Ronnie's face, and that smile was something Rose tried to see at every opportunity.
She looked down and studied the foot before her. Baby smooth skin gave way to the slightest callus at the widest part of the heel. She let her fingertips glide over the softness from toe to ankle before moving her thumbs back down below to knead out the tightness. Rose pressed with a little more force than usual and was rewarded with a moan that teetered on the edge of sensual. She repeated the motion but only received a lesser version of the desired sound. Undaunted, she released Ronnie's foot and pulled the other one in her grasp. "You know, when I get out of these casts I'll give you a backrub you won't forget."
"Mmmm…" A slow, sexy smile crossed Ronnie's lips and she opened one eye lazily. "You're too good to be wasted in an office job. I think I'll change your position to Chief Masseuse."
"Uh huh…do I get a raise with that new title?"
"You keep touching me like that and I'll pay you whatever you want." Ronnie's eyes closed again as Rose's fingers pressed in all the right places.
"I'll remember that," the younger woman replied, her mind traveling to thoughts of having Ronnie's strong back beneath her fingers in the future. Hmm, some oil, a nice summer day…you roll onto your stomach and unlace your bikini… Her fingers stopped moving and she shook her head to clear the unusual thought. Yes, she enjoyed touching Ronnie, but that? She gave a short laugh and concentrated on what she was doing.
"What's so funny?" Ronnie asked, opening one eye and looking down at her friend.
"Oh, nothing…just something on Home Improvement. He really is a menace around tools, isn't he?"
"Hm?" Oh, is that what we're watching? "Uh, yeah." She sensed there was more to it than Rose was letting on. She thought only briefly about saying something but the rubbing started again and Ronnie closed her eyes, surrendering to the gentle touch. They stayed in that position for the next hour, both silently enjoying what began as a massage and turned into a light caresses. The blissful and peaceful scene was shattered a moment later when the phone rang.
"Damn." Ronnie reluctantly sat up. "If it's one of those MCI people again I'm going to kill them." Her toes felt cold where only seconds before they had been held in Rose's soft, warm hands. She padded out to the kitchen and picked up the phone. "Cartwright Residence." She began walking back into the living room, phone in hand, when she stopped. "When did that happen? Well, did they catch anyone?" She stepped into Rose's view. "Is that the one on Central? Yeah, I'll meet you there in a half an hour. Okay, bye Susan." She hung up the phone and shook her head.
"Ronnie?"
"Unbelievable." She sank onto the couch and let out a long breath. "Someone broke into the office tonight."
"Oh no. I hope no one was hurt."
"Susan didn't say anything about that. The police caught the guy, though." Ronnie had to smile inwardly. First thing out of your mouth is worry for others. My first concern was if anything was taken. It was yet another example of the little things about Rose she found so endearing. "I have to meet Susan at the police station. They caught one of the robbers." She reluctantly stood up.
"Let's get you back in your room before I go." She helped Rose back into her chair and soon had the young woman settled into bed. "I'd better get going," she said as she looked down into soft green eyes and had an irrepressible urge to hug her. Ah, the hell with it. She leaned in quickly and wrapped her long arms around Rose's shoulders. "I'll call you if I'm going to be late." She smiled when she felt her squeeze returned.
"Be careful. It's been snowing," the young woman said once they separated.
"I will."
********************
Ronnie made it to the police station first and spoke with the night sergeant who directed her to one of the detectives. She returned to the lobby several minutes later, seething with anger at the information the officer had given her.
Susan and Jack came down the hallway, shaking snow off their coats. "I went down to the office. You wouldn't believe it. They've got that yellow tape up and your office looks like a bulldozer went through it," the redhead said as she hung her coat up on the nearby rack. "It looks like they were trying to get into the safe."
"He was," Ronnie replied coolly. "I guess it’s a good thing I changed the combination last week, huh?" To her sister's confused look, she nodded and continued. "That's right, Susan. Go ahead and guess who broke into the offices and tried to steal from us, from our FAMILY!" Her raised voice drew the attention of several nearby officers, forcing Ronnie to speak through clenched teeth in an attempt to keep her anger in check. "The prodigal son is down in the lockup now. Probably being fingerprinted and introduced to his new husband for the next five to ten years." She made no attempt to hide the anger in her tone.
"You mean Tommy…?" Susan shook her head. "No, that's impossible."
"You're right, Susan." Clenching her fists in disbelief, she continued sarcastically. "The strung out junkie down in lockup, he just looks like Tommy and carries his wallet around with him. "
"But…maybe he just went back to get something. You changed all the locks, maybe he set the alarm off accidentally?" She looked to her husband for support, but saw only the truth reflected back.
"Sweetheart, I think your sister is right this time. You were there, you saw the office." He gave Ronnie an apologetic look. "I've heard drugs can make people do all sorts of things, even steal from their own relatives."
"Well that's real enlightening, Jack. Are you just now realizing Tommy has a drug problem?"
"Ronnie, just because you're upset doesn't mean you can take it out on Jack. After all, it's not his fault."
"No Susan, it's not Jack's fault Tommy's in jail, it's Tommy's, and I think we should leave his ass there until he straightens up."
"What?" The redhead stood between her sister and husband. "You can't honestly be thinking about leaving him here…in jail?"
"Why the hell not? He broke into the office, tried to break into the safe. Susan, if we keep coddling him…"
"I'm not coddling him. I'm just saying you can't leave him in jail overnight."
"Oh, well, thanks for explaining the difference," Ronnie scoffed, turning away and rubbing her face in exasperation. "Susan…" She kept her back to her younger sister. "Tommy has a drug problem. First it was stealing money from the real estate pro
jects then it was forging loans. Now he's committing robbery to try and get money for his habit. I think it's time for some tough love." She turned to see streaks in her sister's makeup from the tears that were starting to fall. "Look, maybe this is the best thing for him. A few days to get those drugs out of his system and he'll be good as new."
Susan shook her head adamantly. "No. It's two days before Christmas. I can't let my younger brother, my ONLY brother, spend Christmas in jail, I just can't." She looked up at her husband.
"Can't you do something?"
"I'm a tax attorney, Honey. If he was being arrested for cheating on his taxes, then yes I could help him. I'm not really versed in criminal law."
Susan tapped her finger to her chin, unwilling to give up. "I've got it!" Her eyes grew wide.
"We'll refuse to press charges. No crime, no jail."
