Party of Two

by Tey Holden

  Alex put her arms around her, kissed her on the side of her head, and caressed Blair’s reassuringly. “Everything will work out fine, you’ll see.” Somehow, in Alex’s arms, it seemed as if it all would.

  “You have a way to make me fall apart. I don’t want to cry, but you bring down all my defenses.”

  “Well, I don’t think that is so bad. I like the tough you, but I also love the sensitive you.”

  Blair sniffed and smiled. “It’s not that I always wanted to take care of people, it just happened that way. I’ve always had to take care of myself. My parents died when I was young and Megan had her life, and then she got married. I had to work to put myself through school. Then when I thought I could start my own life, I had to come back and help Megan. I don’t know how to be any other way. “

  “Well, maybe life was not always meant to be the same for you. Life does change for people. My moms can tell you about that.”

  “Yeah, life turns on a dime.” Blair chuckled as she dried her teary eyes.

  “It sure did for them,” Alex replied.

  “I’d like to meet them. They raised a great daughter for sure. They have to be even better than the characters in the books.”

  “You will. There will be time.”

  Blair smiled. There will be time.

  “Now, why don’t you go shower, and I’ll make something to eat?”

  “Okay. I guess I can wear the same clothes I wore before.”

  “No, let me get you a sweat shirt and pants.”

  Blair took the clothes Alex gave her and went into the bathroom. When she came out, her hair was wet, as usual, and she looked more energized, although her face still looked pale and worried.

  Alex had plates on the table. She had made a chicken and vegetable stir-fry. “This looks delicious.” Blair took a bite. “Oh, wow and it tastes awesome.”

  “Glad you like it.”

  “You are a good cook. I can’t imagine why you can’t make gelatin.”

  Alex’s grin gave her away. Blair caught her. “You lied! You wanted me to come over.” Blair couldn’t help grinning. Her blue eyes looked like shining stars.

  “Took you a while to figure that one out, smarty doc!”

  “I guess I’m an idiot when it has to do with you.”

  “How about me thinking that you could answer the phone in the middle of a liver transplant? I’m still kicking myself for that one!”

  Blair chuckled. “You were uncertain. That’s okay. It happens to me all the time. I don’t want to do anything to screw this up, and sometimes I don’t know what I’m doing.”

  Alex looked at her with a very satisfied smile. “I think you are doing very well.” Having said that she immediately felt the blue eyes devouring her. After dinner, they put away the leftovers and cleaned up the kitchen.

  “I think it’s my turn to shower,” Alex said.

  “Do you mind if I turn in? I want to be rested for the surgery tomorrow.”

  “No, not at all. At what time do we need to get up?”

  “I’ll be up very early, I’m used to it. You don’t need to go that early. All you’ll have to do there is wait and waiting can be boring. Besides you are not used to getting up that early. You can go to the hospital after you wake up.”

  “How long will the surgery take?”

  “It varies on whether all goes well, or if there are complications. Don’t worry. I’ll call you as soon as she gets out. By the way, I brought my checkbook it’s in my backpack. I’ll sign a check for you and you can write it out for however much you need.”

  “For what?”

  “Expenses? Food? Remember you are not working now.”

  “Yes, but I don’t need—.”

  “We can talk about that later, but I’ll leave it here if you need it.”

  “Blair—.”

  “Good night!” Blair went into one of the guest rooms in the flat.

  ***

  The next morning when Blair walked out of her room at five in the morning, Alex was already in the kitchen. “I made coffee for you.”

  Blair chuckled. “Thanks. You didn’t have to get up.”

  “I wanted to.”

  “I guess nothing stops you when you put your mind to it.”

  “You learn fast, Dr. Reilley.” She fixed Blair’s sweater collar.

  Alex was in her oversized sweatshirt and pajama pants. She leaned into her and combed her hair with her hands. Blair’s heart rate picked up. She avoided looking at her too closely, inevitably, their eyes met. “I love the green in your eyes.”

  “I love the blue in yours.” They both chuckled and kissed lightly on the lips. “I have to go. I’ll call you.” As she left, even in the midst of all her troubles, she felt inexplicably content. Alex was the reason, there was no other explanation. Alex filled her heart to the rim.

  When Blair hadn’t called by nine in the morning, Alex went to the hospital. If the surgery was not over, she would wait. She wanted to be there to give Blair support. Although she was hoping for the best, God only knew what could happen.

  The only times she ever remembered being in a hospital was when she fell out of the tree and broke her arm as a child, and recently when she had her stomach virus, but both times, she had been the patient. She had no idea of how agonizing it was to wait not knowing what was happening to your loved one.

  Although the hospital surgical team allowed Blair to be in the operating room, all she could do was watch and wait while the surgeons replaced the damaged valve. She could only imagine the thoughts going through Blair’s mind watching her sister on the operating table. Alex was resolved to help and to be of some comfort to Blair.

  While walking to the hospital, she considered of the implications of Megan not making it or not being able to recover, and how Blair’s life would be impacted having to raise Pete. Alex knew she would never waiver on her resolve to be there for Blair for whatever she needed. Her thoughts were interrupted when her phone rang. It was Addy. Unaware of what had transpired during the night, Addy started the conversation by asking how she was. Their last conversation had been about her job situation and about how Karen was going to reach out to a few people on her behalf. “M’Addy, I’m glad you called. Tell Mom to not place any calls regarding work for me for now. Something has developed that needs my full attention.”

  “What’s wrong, honey?”

  “M’Addy, it’s Blair’s sister, Megan. We’ve had an awful night.” Alex proceeded to tell her what had transpired.

  “Oh, dear God. I’m so sorry. I’m glad you were with Blair when she got the news.”

  “Yeah. She came over to comfort me over losing my job and look what happened. I’m on my way to the hospital right now. I hope all goes well with the surgery. Please tell mom that I’m going to need some time to help Blair. She’s going to need help with Pete first, and maybe later with Megan. At least for a few weeks until the worst passes.”

  “Don’t worry, you do what you think you should do. I’ll talk to your mom. In the meantime, keep us posted. If there’s anything we can do, you know you got it.”

  “Thanks, M’Addy, I love you.”

  “Love you too, sweetie.”

  ***

  The minute Alex walked into the waiting area of the surgery bay, Blair saw her.

  “Is everything okay?” Alex grasped Blair’s arm the minute she got close to her.

  “Yes, she’s fine. She just got out. I was about to call you. She did very well. There were no complications. It was pretty much textbook. I expect her to recover well. I need to go pick-up Pete from Pat’s and take him to the sitter. I need to be back here for work at three this afternoon.”

  Alex sensed Blair’s frantic state of mind. It was as if she needed to be doing something perhaps thinking that time would go faster. “Blair, why don’t we both go get Pete? That way he’ll meet me, and maybe he’ll be okay staying with me. I can rent some movies and keep him. Then you don’t have to take him to the sitter and can
work with peace of mind. He’ll also be closer to you if he stays with me.”

  “Alex—.” she was about to say no, but the look on Alex’s face made her change her mind. “Are you sure you don’t mind? It feels like an imposition.”

  “No, I don’t mind, and it’s not an imposition. Did you already forget what I told you last night?”

  “No, I haven’t.” How could I, when it meant so much to me?

  “Well, then. Let’s go get Pete.” Alex took Blair’s hand, and they walked out of the hospital.

  ***

  Pete was a delightful little boy. His eyes lit up when he saw his loving aunt. “Pete, my boy! Hey, I want you to meet my friend Alex.”

  “Hi Pete. How are you?” Alex smiled and shook his hand. Alex lifted him from the ground and began to talk to him. Blair was delighted to see how easily Pete took to Alex. It seemed that Alex was a natural with kids.

  “Hi.” He smiled back and remained awe-struck looking at Alex. Before Blair left, he secretly told her that Alex was pretty. Blair laughed. “I know, Pete. I think she’s beautiful too.”

  Pete waved goodbye to Blair and stayed with Alex as if she was a long-time friend. Blair couldn’t believe how happy and comfortable he was with Alex. “If you have any problems call me.”

  “Go to work, we’ll be fine. We are going to have lots of fun.” She pushed Blair out the door, and Pete laughed.

  “Thanks. I—.” Alex kissed her on the cheek. Blair left smiling. She could still hear Pete laughing.

  Looking after Pete was not a problem at all. They spent the afternoon watching Disney films and making popcorn. They also went to the ice cream parlor and he got ice cream all over himself. Alex thought he was adorable. She had a great time with him. His hair was dark like Blair’s. She wondered if Blair ever had a child, if he would look like Pete. Blair having a child! She laughed. Then she thought of her mother. Why not?

  When Blair arrived at the flat after midnight, she was going to knock, but thought that Pete might be asleep and pulled out the key Alex had given her. When she opened the door, everything was quiet. She immediately detected the form on the sofa. She didn’t want to startle her, so she whispered. “Alex?’”

  Alex opened her eyes. “Umm?”

  “It’s me.” Blair combed Alex’s hair away from her face and smiled at the incredible beauty underneath the hair.

  “Hi. I think I fell asleep, Pete’s asleep in the small room. I didn’t hear you come in. Sorry.”

  “I used the key you gave me, I hope you don’t mind, I didn’t want to wake up Pete, if—.”

  “It’s fine. That’s why you have it, to use it.”

  “I need to get him. I can take him now. Tomorrow I don’t work until three again. We can do the same, if you don’t mind. I need to talk to the sitter tomorrow and make some formal arrangements.”

  Alex sat up and looked at her. “You are not getting this are you?”

  Blair looked at her not comprehending what she meant. “Get over here.” She pulled Blair next to her on the sofa. “You are not going anywhere tonight and neither is Pete.”

  “Alex, I’ve been staying too often. It’s not right and—.”

  “I talked to M’Addy already. My mom is not going to be talking to anyone about a job for me yet. I’ve put a hold on that because I will be the one taking care of Pete.”

  “Alex, I appreciate what you are doing, but if you don’t look for a job, how are you going to live? I mean, I don’t have enough to money cover all of this.” She opened her arms signaling the apartment. “I’m sorry.” Blair looked deflated.

  “There are some things you need to know. When you came last night to offer your help, I never got to the part where I could tell you about my finances because we had to go to the hospital to see Megan. I need to explain some things to you.”

  Blair remained attentive. “What?”

  “Okay, how do I tell you this?”

  “What?”

  “I can survive without working for some time.” She could have probably told her that she didn’t need to work at all, but that would never be the case because she would always work. Even though she knew there was lot of wealth attached to her parents, and that it would all eventually come to her, she would always work. The mom’s wealth was the huge cushion behind anything she did.

  She could have been a spoiled child, living off her mothers’ money and done nothing with her life, but that was not the person she was raised to be. She had gone to the university to become her own person, with her own career and means and to be independent, intelligent, and worldly like her moms. She took pride in her achievements as well as those of her moms. Inheriting from them, was never on her mind, but if the day came, she’d only hope to be worthy of the legacy of her extraordinary mothers.

  “I’ve been out of school for a two years now and I have plenty savings. Up until now, I was making a very hefty salary of which I don’t spend much. They also gave me severance pay. This flat belongs to my mothers. I don’t pay rent or mortgage. My moms bought this place just before I was born, like the story says, remember? It’s paid for. My car was a graduation present from my mothers. All I pay are the utilities, cable, Internet access, the food I eat, the clothes I wear and my personal expenses.”

  Blair was in awe. “So, you don’t need money?”

  “No.”

  Blair could hardly believe that there was anyone in the world who didn’t need money. All of a sudden, she realized the obvious. “I thought . . . I mean . . . I guess, I was thinking of what would happen if I lost my job. I didn’t realize your circumstances are different. Alex, if this flat is really like in the book, does that mean that your moms are as wealthy as in the stories?” Blair seemed hesitant. Alex realized that Blair might feel intimidated by the circumstances surrounding her moms’ wealth and decided, as the good lawyer she was, to only answer and explain the least.

  “Some things in the stories are real, others are not, and others are a distortion of the truth.” Alex was aware that she hadn’t provided a concrete answer. “For example, there were never any Inns of Europe, that was a product of M’Addy’s imagination.”

  “So, the millions of Euros from the sale are not true?” Blair smiled hoping that, at least, if they were rich, they weren’t filthy rich.

  “No, they are not true.”

  “So, there was just the Inn of Scotland and that’s how you came to know the Russoo’s?”

  “Yes.”

  “Your parents are just two professional women, who have worked just like you and I do and made a good life for themselves and their daughter.”

  “Blair. Why is all of this important?”

  “Alex, because I don’t have much to my name! Because I work like mad to make ends meet and because I have debts, which I assume you don’t have!”

  Alex didn’t answer.

  “No debts?”

  “How is any of this relevant?”

  Blair was quiet. “Because I don’t have much to offer.”

  “Blair, sometimes in life the unexpected happens. We’ve talked about this in another context. Us? Our relationship? We agreed to carry on and see where life and things would take us, didn’t we?” Blair nodded. “You were actually the one who came up with that proposal. Why can’t we apply it to everything regarding us? Let’s see where all of this takes us. Maybe life has turned on a dime for me, and for you as well.”

  “God is certainly throwing big curve balls at me!” Blair exhaled and sat back on the sofa.

  “How about me? Here I am, contemplating a relationship with a woman. If that’s not a curve ball, you tell me what is?”

  “Falling in love with a straight woman who happens to be wealthy?”

  “And why is that bad?” Alex’s smile made Blair smile as well.

  “And why is it so bad to fall in love with a woman who happens to be a lesbian?”

  Alex couldn’t help smiling either. She came closer and directed her beautiful green eyes at Blair.<
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  “As strange as it all sounds, none of it is bad.”

  Blair smiled. “Good closing, counselor. I think you’d better kiss me now, so that I may respond in kind.”

  “Oh! I forgot our modus operandi.”

  Blair smiled and her dimples showed. “You know those dimples are going to be the death of me, right?”

  Blair raised her hand to Alex’s cheek and brushed it with the back of her fingers. It was a gesture she’d done before. It was as if she was almost afraid to fully touch her. The blue eyes searched the green ones, and later every inch of her face as if studying it. “At least they are useful for something. I’ve always hated them. I thought they killed my cool look.” She chuckled. “But if it’s what you like about me, maybe that’s why I have them. Maybe they are my secret weapon to attract you.”

  Alex chuckled. “Well, in that case, I think their mission has been accomplished. I’ll have you know, that when I first saw them at the bar, those dimples did you a great deal of good. But that is not the only thing I like about you, though.”

  “Oh yeah? What other things do you like about me?”

  Alex smiled. “I can’t tell you just yet. Can’t give you too much ammunition.” Alex kissed her on her nose and Blair grinned.

  Blair explored Alex’s face and brushed her lips against her forehead, her nose, eyes, the curve of her face to settle on her ear where she finally whispered, “I love you.”