by Amy Polino
Lesbian
Stepmother
Lesbian Stepmother
is Copyright © 2012 by Playhouse Press
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
or by any electronic means without permission in writing from the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places and characters are either the
product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously.
This book is for sale to Adults Only.
It contains sexually explicit scenes which may be
considered offensive to some readers.
Book One:
Abbie
by Audrey Hart
Chapter 1
Turning the corner onto Chestnut Street, Rick noticed that his wife’s Ford was parked in the driveway. Her hours as a law clerk had been reduced recently and he was increasingly unable to predict her schedule. He pulled up in front of the house, killing the engine and settling back for a moment, finishing his paper cup of take-out coffee. It was already getting cold, but it still tasted pretty good. Better than the coffee Lonna made, that was for sure.
He took another gulp and glanced at the front windows of the house. He didn’t see anyone. He knew she’d be in there, sprawled on the couch and watching television, probably with a drink in her hand, wasting time as usual. They’d only been married for three months, and already he was growing irritated with her laziness.
The clock on the dashboard read 4:38. Rick tried to recall what time his daughter, Abigail, got home from school on Wednesdays and couldn’t. She had just begun taking classes at the community college a few months back, in January, and her schedule was as much a mystery to him as was Lonna’s.
It shouldn’t matter, he knew, and yet it did. His new wife and his daughter didn’t get along very well and sometimes even fought. He’d come home on more than one occasion to find them screaming at each other, tears in their eyes. Abbie still missed her real mother, and wasn’t about to settle for a replacement without at least some display of rebellion; and she was rebellious by nature. It wasn’t always a problem, but Rick never knew when one of their arguments was going to erupt. It was more peaceful when one of them wasn’t at home, especially during dinner.
Rick finished his coffee and climbed out of the car, slamming the door. He was a very ordinary looking man, 41 years old with short brown hair and glasses. He was slightly overweight, but in relatively good shape for his age. As he made his way up the front walk he unconsciously cocked his head, listening for sounds of an argument from within his house. He didn’t hear anything. He stepped up to the front door and let himself in.
Lonna, as predicted, was lying lengthwise on the couch, her head propped up on a couple of pillows as she watched a movie on TV. There was a plastic tumbler on the coffee table in front of her, and Rick had no doubt that whatever it held included some type of booze.
She looked over at him. “Oh, god. Is it that time already?”
“Nice to see you too.”
“I’m sorry.” She sat up, swinging her legs off the couch. She used a remote control to pause the movie. “I got home later than usual, and lost track of time. I didn’t even start dinner yet.”
Rick sighed. “Want me to call for a pizza?”
Lonna picked up her glass and took three long swallows. She looked very good. Her short blonde hair was always well styled, making her face look even younger than it probably should. At 40, she could still pass for 34. She was tall and had a long, slim figure, with generous breasts and perfectly shaped legs. Her green eyes, although beautiful, were slightly clouded over, the result of her newly-acquired habit of steady drinking. “Do you want pizza?”
Rick crossed the room, glancing around for signs of Abigail. “Not really. But it’s easy. Is Abbie home?”
Lonna took another sip from her tumbler and returned it to the table. “No. Not yet. Probably any minute.” She stood up, stretching. “If you’d like, I could boil some spaghetti.”
“Do you want to boil some spaghetti?”
She looked at him, her fingers tucked into her pockets. It was warm in the house and she had stripped down to nothing but a pair of shorts and a baggy t-shirt. “I’d be glad to make dinner if you’d like. Otherwise we can order the pizza. It’s up to you.”
Rick would have liked for her to cook dinner, but he would have liked it even better if it had already been done. And Lonna’s spaghetti was nothing more than boiled noodles with half a jar of Ragu dumped over the top. It wasn’t the least bit tempting. “I’ll order a pizza. You relax. What do you want on it?”
Picking up her glass again, Lonna stepped over to him and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “You know me. I’m partial to green peppers.”
Rick put an arm around her and tried to pull her in for a real kiss, but she playfully twisted away, feigning a smile. “Can I get you something to drink?” She shook her glass, rattling the ice. “I need a refill.”
“You always need a refill.” Rick was sorry as soon as he said it.
Lonna froze, glaring at him. She didn’t look happy. “That’s not fair, and you know it.”
“I’m sorry.” He took a step toward her, but she countered it with a step back.
“I’ve had to put up with a lot since moving in here.”
“I know, I know, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything.”
“No, you never do.” She lifted the tumbler to her mouth and tried to take another drink, but there was nothing left but ice. “And neither does Abbie. It’s your house, and her house, and you both just love to shoot your mouths off at me and then tell me you didn’t mean it.” She knew she was venting, but couldn’t help it.
Rick was tired of it. “Not this again. All I said was --”
“I know what you said. You said I always need a refill. And sometimes I do. It’s hard for me, trying to fit in here, where I know I don’t belong.”
“You do belong...”
“I don’t belong. You can say I do, because you want me to, sort of. But Abbie hates me and always will.”
“She doesn’t hate you.”
“She does. No matter what I do, no matter what I say, no matter how hard I try to be her friend, she’ll never accept me. I sit here for hours, dreading her walking through that door and giving me that godawful look.”
Rick was shaking his head. He just wanted to eat dinner and relax for a few hours before going to bed. “What look?”
“The look that says I’m an interloper. An unwelcome guest. A piece of shit that got dragged in on the bottom of her shoe.”
“Oh, come on.” He took another step toward her and she spun away into the kitchen, slapping her glass down on the counter. He followed her, stepping up behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders, squeezing them. She tensed up at his touch but didn’t pull away. “I think you’re overreacting a little bit.”
The vodka bottle was right there, and she uncapped it, pouring a generous amount into her glass. “I’m not overreacting. I’m just reacting. If you don’t like the way I’m reacting, maybe you should think more about what it is I’m reacting to.”
Rick continued to massage her shoulders. “Okay, okay, I already said I’m sorry. Let’s talk about something else.”
Lonna replaced the cap and set the bottle down. “Alright. Sweeping things under the rug is always a constructive option.”
Rick sighed again, dropping his hands. “Do you want to talk about something? Has she been bothering you again?”
“She doesn’t bother me. She hates me. Even when she’s not home, I can still feel the resentment. It’s like...” She spun around, tears in her eyes. She wiped the
m away, quickly. “It’s like she blames me that her mother decided to run off with some other guy. As if I had anything to do with it. It doesn’t even make sense!”
“She doesn’t blame you. She just...” Rick shrugged. “She blames everyone, I guess. Including me. I didn’t have much to do with it, either. Gloria had been cheating on me for quite awhile with that asshole before I even found out. Anyway, Abbie is just unhappy right now. It’s got nothing to do with you, not really.”
“Maybe not, but it certainly affects me. And she acts like it’s my fault.” She stepped over to the refrigerator and opened the door, taking out the bottle of cranberry juice.
“I’ll have a talk with her when she gets home.”
“There have been plenty of talks already. They don’t lead anywhere. She’s already made up her mind that I’m her enemy.” She dumped some juice into her glass.
“I’ll talk to her anyway. We can’t just let things continue on this way. Like you said, sweeping it under the rug is no solution.”
Lonna looked at him. She nodded. “Alright. You can talk to her, but it’s not going to do any good. You can’t talk someone into liking someone else.”
“I can try.”
She nodded. They’d been through it many times before and gotten nowhere. She was suddenly tired of thinking about it. “Alright.”
“I know we’ve tried before, Lonna. Don’t give up. We’ll keep trying. Eventually it will work.”
She nodded, stirring her drink.
He stood staring at her for a moment. “You want anything besides green peppers?”
She thought about it. “You pick something, too. Anything but meat.”
Rick nodded. He stepped into the living room to make the call.
Chapter 2
It was about half an hour later when the pizza came. Rick paid for it and carried the box into the kitchen, taking two plates out of the cabinet and placing a slice on each. He closed the box and brought the plates back to the couch, handing one to Lonna and taking a seat beside her.
“Thank you,” she said.
“You’re welcome.” Rick took a swig from his can of diet Dr. Pepper and then lifted his pizza.
“I see you chose green olives.” Lonna was staring at her pizza, sipping from her tumbler.
Rick hesitated. “Is that bad?”
“No, no. It’s okay.” She continued staring at it. “A little salty, maybe.”
Rick wasn’t in the mood for an argument. He was starting to think it may have been a mistake to marry Lonna before really getting to know her. He’d been very depressed after Gloria’s betrayal and Lonna was just so beautiful. He never even really thought she’d agree to go out with him, and two months later they were tying the knot. It had all happened very quickly, her moodiness somehow not registering until recently. “I asked you to pick something else, and you left it to me.”
“I know. I remember. This is fine.” She lifted the pizza to her mouth and took a small bite.
“If you don’t like it, I can order another pizza. It’s not a problem.”
Lonna was chewing. “No, it’s fine. The olives are fine.” She swallowed and took another sip of booze. As she did, there came the sound of footsteps on the front porch.
Rick quickly took a big bite of his pizza, filling his mouth. He hated confrontations.
The screen door opened with a clatter and Abigail stepped in, her purse slung over one shoulder and a knapsack in her hand. She glanced at the two of them sitting there and tried to rush past into her room.
“Hi, honey,” Rick said, his mouth still full. “You want some pizza?”
Abigail paused, looking at him. “What?”
Rick chewed quickly and swallowed his mouthful of food. “Pizza. Sit down and join us.”
“No thanks.” Abigail was on the final week of her nineteenth year, her birthday only two days away. She was a very attractive girl, not beautiful, but certainly close. She had long dark hair and an athletic figure, and had recently discovered body piercing, having gotten a ring through her nose and another through her lower lip. She favored all black clothing, and since the weather had begun warming up had been wearing skimpy blouses and skirts, with black stockings and boots, giving her a slightly gothic appearance.
She began to step past them again, and once again Rick stopped her. “You forgot to say hi to Lonna.”
Abbie grimaced and glared at Lonna, who set her pizza down and leaned back on the couch. “Hi, Stepmom.”
Lonna flinched at the nickname.
Rick dropped his pizza onto the plate. “Abbie!”
She smiled wickedly. “Sorry. Hello, Lonna. How are you?” She spoke sarcastically, leaving no doubt she didn’t give a damn.
Lonna tried to smile, but she was unsuccessful. Her hands were shaking. “Hi, Abbie. How was school?”
Abbie shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “Great. Every minute of it is pure bliss.”
“Why don’t you put your things away,” Rick suggested. “And then come join us for a couple slices.”
“I’ll have some later. I’ve got a lot of homework.” Abbie had spent a year working as a secretary after graduating from high school, and hated it. Now she was going to college full-time to escape working, and she hated that, too.
“Well, make sure you squeeze us in for a few minutes, at least. We’ve got a few things we need to talk to you about.”
Now Abbie gazed at him with suspicion. “Like what?”
Rick shrugged. “Like your birthday. It’s coming up fast. You still didn’t decide where you wanted to have dinner.”
“I thought we settled on Mario’s.”
“Oh. That’s right.”
“I don’t really care about that anyway. As long as I get an iPad.”
“You’re not getting an iPad.”
“Oh, come on, dad! It’s all I really want!”
Rick sighed. He picked up his soda and took a long drink. “We’ve been over this already. They’re too expensive for just a birthday present.”
“But I need it for school!”
“You just got a new computer last year.”
“It’s not the same. I need an iPad.”
“You don’t need it. You just want it.”
Abigail exhaled theatrically, a display of her frustration. “You mean I’m really not getting one? It’s all I asked for!”
“I already told you you’re not getting one. They start at $500!”
“That’s for the shitty one. I need the good one.”
“Abbie! You’re not getting an iPad!”
She glanced at Lonna again, quickly, and then back at her father. “Did she talk you out of it? So you can spend the money on her instead?”
Feeling increasingly uncomfortable, Lonna took a long drink from her glass. She wished she were anywhere else.
“She didn’t talk me out of anything. I had never even considered it. I don’t have an extra six or seven hundred dollars to spend on a frivolous computer right now.”
“It’s not frivolous! I need it for school!”
Rick was getting a headache. “You’ve got a nice computer for school, Abbie. And your tuition is costing me a small fortune. I just can’t afford it right now.”
“Oh, so now it’s my fault you’re broke?”
“It’s no ones fault! And I’m not broke. Can we drop it with the iPad, please?”
Abbie thought for a moment. “What are you going to get me? A horn for my bike?”
“Abbie, be realistic.”
She glared at Lonna again. “You talked him out of it, didn’t you?”
Lonna floundered, feeling sick. “I didn’t say a word!”
“Abbie, don’t blame her. She didn’t do anything.”
“Jesus Christ. She’s drunk already.”
“Abbie!”
“That’s where all the money goes.” This time she stormed away, disappearing down the hall.
“Abbie!” Rick began to stand up.
“Forget it,” Lonna said quietly. “I told you, she hates me. Even when I’m not to blame.” She took another drink.
“She doesn’t hate you. She just...” He struggled for something to say and came up empty.
“She doesn’t seem too happy with you, either.”
Rick sat back down and began rubbing his head. He wished he were still at work.
Chapter 3
The next morning when Lonna got up, Rick had already left for work. She vaguely remembered him trying to get romantic earlier, when he first awoke, but she had been very tired and a little bit hungover. She’d snubbed him again. She was getting good at it.
She climbed out of bed and entered the kitchen, wearing only her nightgown. There was half a pot of coffee still on the warmer, as usual. She took down her favorite mug, one that she’d brought with her from her old life and filled it, taking a seat at the table.
Glancing at the clock, she saw it was going on seven. Abigail would be getting up soon for school. She sat sipping her coffee and wondering what she ought to do. Her choices were limited. She could either sit there at the table, as she was doing, and have an awkward confrontation with the girl when she came in for her coffee and cereal, or she could hide somewhere else in the house until Abbie left for school. Or, she supposed, she could leave the house herself and come back afterward. None of these things appealed to her. She sat there drinking her coffee and trying to make up her mind.
She felt like such an outsider here. She’d known she was taking a risk when she agreed to marry Rick, but she never thought it would be this bad. Her stepdaughter refused to even give her a chance. If Abbie wasn’t ignoring her, she was being downright mean or hurtful to her. And no matter what Lonna did, no matter how nice she was to Abbie, the girl still treated her like shit.
She sat there growing more and more apprehensive about their next inevitable encounter. The clock was ticking. Fight or flee? She hated the idea of doing either, but it seemed there was no alternative.
