Touchwood

by Karin Kallmaker

  Rayann whirled around to her mother with a huge smile. "Effective niche marketing, that's what." She hugged her mother and without hesitation hugged Jim Dove as well. "This is why we've been too busy to see you lately."

  "It looks like Filene's Basement the day after Thanksgiving," Ann said.

  "Isn't it great?" Rayann suddenly took in her mother's corsage and Jim's spiffy gray suit. "Why aren't you two still at work?"

  "We took the afternoon off to go get our marriage license, and then thought we'd find out if you two could join us for dinner and champagne."

  "Marriage license?" Rayann repeated.

  Ann clapped her hand over her mouth. "I thought Louisa had told you!"

  Louisa's voice sailed over the customers. "Ann, I thought you were going to tell her!"

  "Oh, my God," Ann said. "Darling, how thoughtless of me."

  "Mom," Rayann said, managing a stunned smile, "I'm pleased as punch, just surprised as all get out. Congratulations," she said to Jim. She hugged him again. "When's the happy day?"

  "That's one of the things we wanted to discuss with you and Lou," Jim said, patting her back.

  Rayann had barely regained her composure when she felt a tug on her arm. She looked down. Tucker was pulling on her sweater. "Rayann, you moved the Black Stallion books. Where are they?"

  She looked up. Where Tucker went, Ted was sure to follow. She saw him before he saw her, his head a good six inches above that of the sea of women he was attempting to safely navigate. He looked very relieved when he saw a familiar face.

  "I didn't realize there was some sort of party today," he said when he finally reached her.

  "Grand opening of The Woman's Reader," Rayann told him. She knew Louisa had told him the plans and warned him that the word lesbian would be featured prominently in several places. Evidently, he gathered up enough nerve to visit. "We're taking advantage of Lesbian and Gay Pride week."

  "Of course," he said, his voice neutral. "I should have known."

  "Rayann," her mother said. She inclined her head at Ted with raised eyebrows.

  "Oh, how rude of me. Ted Thatcher, this is my mother, Ann Germaine, and her fiancé, Jim Dove."

  "I thought you looked familiar, sir," Ted said. "In fact, I think we've met —"

  "At a Bar fundraiser," Jim said. "Please, don't call me 'sir.' Especially not when we're soon going to be related — although I'm still trying to figure out how my step-daughter-to-be's lover's son is related to me." He shuddered in mock horror. "I just came up with step-grandson and that's completely unacceptable. I'm too young."

  "Hear, hear," Ann said. "Let's not bother with all that intermediate stuff. A member of the family is a member of the family."

  Rayann led Tucker to the new location of children's books, mechanically pointing them out while her stunned brain absorbed what her mother had just said. Family. It was such an exclusive word in a legal sense but her mother and Jim had expanded and liberalized it to an extent Rayann hadn't even hoped possible. Like Louisa did for so long, I just accepted that the word never applied to us. She helped customers and watched the trio of her mother, Jim and Ted as they talked together. Louisa urged her son to play host and take them upstairs for coffee. If Louisa was as stunned as Rayann felt she didn't show it.

  The store was finally quieting down an hour later. Many women were hurrying to get ready for the dances and celebrations that would be held all over the Bay Area to celebrate gay pride. Rayann walked Greta and Hazel to their door. They were both very happy, but exhausted.

  Upstairs it was calmer and her mother stood at the counter chatting with Louisa while Jim Dove and Ted were engrossed in conversation in the living room.

  "Now, who forgot to tell me my mother was getting married?"

  Ann immediately relented in her long-suffering pose. "Darling, I am sorry. I asked Louisa for some advice and just assumed she would tell you."

  "I thought you would want to tell her yourself."

  "Of course you did," Ann said. "It was stupid for me to have thought otherwise."

  "Well, I didn't say it," Rayann commented to no one in particular. Her mother pursed her lips in response.

  The conversation lulled, then Jim said, "Well, we wanted to compare calendars and find out when everyone has a week free."

  "A week?" Louisa said.

  "For a wedding?" Rayann looked at her mother.

  "Not for a wedding, but for a family... celebration," Ann said. "Jim and I thought Greece would be nice and were hoping anyone who could would join us."

  "My son and his lover are both free most of August," Jim said. "I went to law school with a fellow who's now a member of the Greek National Assembly and will loan us a villa in Athens —"

  "On the water facing "Corinth," Ann said. "It's huge and you wouldn't even have to know we're there." She glanced at Ted. "Think what a wonderful opportunity your son would have to see such a historic place." She turned to Louisa. "And a vacation — it's been just ages since you've had one. Air fare," she finished, looking at Rayann, "is our treat."

  "But who would watch the store?" Louisa said.

  "I can certainly afford air fare for Tucker and me," Ted began.

  "Mom, you two are nuts," Rayann managed to say.

  "We're in love," Jim said. "And all the sages and poets agree that love is carte blanche for odd behavior. Besides, we're both delighted to be able to share our happiness with a suddenly large and diverse family. Patrick — my son — can't wait to meet you all. He said he's sick of being an only child."

  "But who would watch the store?" Louisa had at first sounded as if no one minding the store would be her excuse to bow out gracefully, but now she sounded as if she really wanted to solve the problem.

  "Darling," Rayann said, "this very day well put up a sign that says we're having reduced hours while we're gone. I'm sure that Greta and Hazel would love to watch the store during the peak hours. I think they'd be offended if we didn't ask."

  Louisa looked at Ann with a relieved smile. "A week in August?"

  "Or two if you can stand being away that long," Ann said.

  Louisa reached for her calendar. Rayann handed her an indelible red marking pen.

  "I believe I don't want this journey to end," Louisa said.

  Rayann rested back in her lover's arms, aware that the other women in the tour group still stole glances at them occasionally.

  She didn't blame them — after all, she and Louisa were newcomers to their tour, and only joining them for the next three days. And she and Louisa were the only ones whose entire family had seen them off at the dock in Athens.

  "I still can't believe they all got up at the crack of dawn," Rayann said. "It's been a lovely day."

  "I've got bird seed in my bra," Louisa said.

  "At least I managed to pick all the confetti out of your hair."

  "I don't know why I got the worst of it."

  "Tucker was aiming for you." Louisa squeezed her for a moment, then they both relaxed into the rock of the ferry. Her hair tickled Rayann's ear every time the warm Mediterranean breeze lifted it.

  Never in a million years would I have thought I'd be so happy. Rayann closed her eyes to better sense the rhythm of the waves. Behind her lids she still saw the impromptu bon voyage party on the dock. Their decision to make this pilgrimage had been spur-of-the-moment. She could picture her mother and her new husband, and his son and son's lover laughing and throwing confetti while Ted took pictures as they boarded the gangplank. She wondered if Louisa had noticed that Ted, burdened with his cameras, had instead set Tucker on Patrick's shoulder so he could more easily see his grandmother. Patrick's new lover threw the last of the streamers. What a picture — and it wasn't a dream! Rayann had spent the first few hours of the ferry ride making sketches from memory. Louisa said she liked Rayann's sketches better than photographs.

  The Greek sun was still hot when they disembarked at their destination almost twelve hours after first boarding the ferry. Rayann complaine
d of her behind having gone to sleep. Louisa stretched to get a kink out of her back.

  "This is one photograph we have to have," Rayann said, pulling Louisa into the line-up of women. One by one or couple by couple they posed in front of the sign welcoming visitors to the island. There was always a happy volunteer willing to take the picture.

  Louisa handed over her camera. "Take an extra one just in case."

  Rayann stood within the curve of Louisa's arm. She knew that many of the women were still figuratively rubbing their eyes every time they looked at Louisa and her together. The send-off at the dock had made it clear to all the other women that she and Louisa were lovers. Some had looked enviously at the well-wishing family, and some were unabashedly curious about the way she and Louisa related to each other. Others just looked mystified.

  "Hey, cuddle closer," the photographer said. "You're covering up the L."

  Rayann hugged Louisa to her. "Can't have that. Who wants a picture that says we went to ESBOS."

  She heard the shutter click as Louisa's mouth claimed hers for a laughing kiss.