The Reef

by Lois Kay

  Fiona nodded and jerked her head in the direction of the corner. “I’ll cross the street, right there, so they have to see me and I’ll walk to Mom and the others. But, Sam, how do you know they won't see you?”

  “I'm not sure, Fi, but I think they’ll be too busy watching you and your family to have eyes for a clumsy tourist dropping a stack of baseball caps.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Fiona answered “I love your self-confidence,” she added with a grin. “I'd better get going then, huh?” She wanted to turn around, but Sam stopped her and looked at her intently.

  “If anything goes wrong, go straight to Gerald. Don't come back this way. Okay?”

  Fiona cast down her gaze and nodded.

  “I want to hear you say it, Red,” Sam urged. “Please, promise me.”

  “I promise, Sam.” Fiona sighed. “You’ll be careful. Okay?” At that moment, she sounded so much like Jody it made Sam’s heart clench.

  “Of course, I’ll be careful. I'll see you in a few minutes. Tell Lucy to pick me up at the back of the store.”

  Fiona nodded and walked to the corner of the street intently watched by Sam, who also kept an eye on the car with the two men. They were still parked at the same spot. She saw them watching Lucy and Gerald and they suddenly sat up straight when Fiona crossed the street.

  “So much for needing a gas station,” Sam muttered. She wasted no time and stepped outside. Her face was obscured by the stack of ballcaps in her arms as she walked toward the car. When she passed the car, she dropped the ballcaps on the sidewalk, right next to the vehicle. Softly muttering to herself, she stooped down to pick up each item. She gambled on being ignored by the occupants of the car. They did and when she grabbed the last ballcap that had almost rolled underneath the car, she firmly placed a big nail against one of the back tires. She quickly rose to her feet and walked away, repeating the license plate number to commit it to memory.

  * * *

  “I told you they’d show up, eventually.” There was pride in Little Steven’s voice.

  Fred cast a look to the right and shrugged his shoulders. His partner had been cursing at him for at least five minutes after Fiona bolted, threatening him with all plagues known to mankind if he screwed up again, but now he seemed elated.

  “I wonder where she went to,” Fred mused.

  “You never know with those kids,” Little Steven answered. “Maybe she had a boyfriend waiting.”

  Their gaze traveled to Lucy and her family who were chatting on the opposite corner, near the restaurant Lucy and Gerald had been earlier. Fiona was crossing the street. It was clear she was heading toward her family.

  “There’s the brat. Keep your eyes on them, Freddie,” Little Steven growled. “We can't lose them now. We’ll follow them wherever they go. Got it?”

  Fred nodded in silence and squinted against the bright sunlight. From the corner of his eye he saw a tall form passing the car, dropping a stack of baseball caps.

  “What's that?” Little Steven asked, casting a quick look in his rearview mirror.

  “Some bimbo being stupid,” Fred answered, not taking his eyes off Fiona, who was crossing the street.

  * * *

  “Fiona, where in the name of everything that is sacred did you disappear to?” Joan McDonnell asked her daughter as soon as she was close enough to hear her.

  “I was outside, Mom.” Fiona pointed to the corner shop across the street. “I’d gone to that little shop.” It wasn’t the entire truth, but it wasn’t a lie either.

  Joan sighed and put her hand on Fiona's shoulder, pulling her with her. “Let’s go.”

  Lucy and Gerald exchanged looks and the first one quickly stepped forward. “Mom?”

  Joan McDonnell heard the tension in Lucy's voice and turned around, a crease in her forehead.

  “Umm, I…there's some trouble Jody ran into and—”

  “What kind of trouble?” Joan interrupted, with a worried look. “Is she alright? Why didn't you tell me before? Where is she?”

  “Wow, so many questions,” Lucy tried to joke, but her mother's piercing eyes stared right through her. “She's fine, Mom, really. I thought you might want to see her. I know she'd love to see you.”

  “Honey, your sudden tact is worrying me, “Joan McDonnell answered.

  Gerald and Fiona laughed at the stunned expression on Lucy’s face.

  “Jody's apartment has been broken into.” Gerald took over, knowing his mother simply needed more information to calm down. “Jody wasn't home at the time and right now she's with Sarah and Megan. We were actually on our way to see her.”

  “I'll come with you then,” Joan McDonnell spoke without hesitation, surprising her children who knew their parents normally didn't associate with gay people. Well, their father didn't, their mother had never really said a word about it. “Let's go.”

  “We…I have to pick up some…things from the store first,” Lucy explained. “Why don't you go ahead?”

  “I don't know where they live,” Joan McDonnell simply answered, causing Fiona to chuckle.

  “I'll come with you then,” Gerald offered. He noticed the begging look in Fiona’s eyes and he smiled. “Fi, why don't you keep Lucy company? And try to keep her out of trouble.” The response was a big grin and Gerald laughed at the eager expression on the freckled face. He followed his mother to the car and before he got in he turned around to look at Lucy. “Be careful,” he mouthed and his sister nodded, sending him a small smile.

  “Come on, twin sister,” Lucy joked. She teasingly pulled a strand of hair. “Let's go get Sam.”

  * * *

  “Okay, Fred, here they go. Now, we only need to follow them to find out where that redhead or blondie is and if we don't, we always have the kid sister to help us out.”

  “Which car are we following? There are two of them.”

  “Which one do you think?” Little Steven sneered. “The two sisters, of course. God knows where the other two are going. We have to keep an eye on that little one. She's our ticket. Remember?”

  Little Steven's eyes followed Lucy and Fiona, who were walking toward Lucy's red car. They were taking their time, chatting and laughing. Fred couldn't hide a smile when he saw the way the two sisters were interacting. It reminded him of his own sister. He hadn't seen her in years. Not since his father beat him up and he decided to run away from home. He had never returned. For the first time in years he remembered his sister's face when he walked out the door and a lump formed in his throat. Fred swallowed hard and looked outside the window, trying hard to regain his composure.

  “Are you ready?” Little Steven asked in a gruff voice.

  “Yeah, I am,” Fred answered. His voice was slightly hoarse.

  Little Steven cast him a curious look and shrugged his shoulders. “You okay?”

  “Fine,” Fred answered. He cleared his throat. “I’m just thirsty.”

  “If everything goes according to plan I'll buy you a nice cold Foster's,” Little Steven promised as he started the engine.

  He waited for Lucy's car to leave the parking lot and when she drove past them he waited a few moments before pulling up, making sure there were no more than two cars between them. After having driven less than fifteen meters Little Steven noticed that the car didn't respond well and he yanked the steering wheel, preventing it from drifting into the wrong lane. Immediately he started cursing, startling Fred, whose eyes were focused on the car in front of them.

  “What?”

  “Bloody hell. Believe it or not, but we've got a flat tire.”

  Chapter 11

  “Jody, honey, will you please at least try to relax,” Sarah asked exasperated. She had been watching her friend pace the veranda for the last twenty minutes. “You and Megan are so alike. Whenever you’re nervous, you start pacing like idiots. You’re driving me nuts.”

  Jody stopped dead in her tracks and send her friend an apologizing look. The minute Sam had left, she had been a nervous wreck and s
he knew it. She trusted Sam, knew she would be careful and not take any risks. But still. With an audible grunt, Jody plopped down into a chair, brushing away her hair from her forehead with an impatient gesture. She had promised Sam to stay put, but it took a lot of effort not to jump up, take the car and drive downtown, looking for her.

  “Sam is perfectly capable of taking care of herself,” Sarah said gently. “I think she proved that the other night when she fought off that burglar. And when she pulled that spider woman stunt climbing up on the roof.”

  “I know, I know.” Jody mumbled. “But I'm still worried. Besides, she did get hurt, remember?” Her thoughts returned to the early morning hours and how she had made sure not to put any pressure on Sam’s shoulder. She felt her cheeks grow warm.

  Of course, Sarah noticed. “Happy thoughts?” she teased.

  “Yes,” was all Jody answered, but she couldn't hide her smile.

  “Care to share?” Sarah asked.

  Jody laughed. “No. You know I don't keep many secrets from you or Megan, but there are a few things I’d like to keep private.”

  Sarah laughed heartily. “I can't blame you. Hold those thoughts, will you? They suit you much better than a worried frown. Ah, there's our tea girl,” she said when Megan came out of the kitchen carrying a tray full of glasses and a matching teapot. “Saved by the drink, Jo.”

  “Who is saved from what?” Megan informed. She placed the heavy tray on the table, casting a curious look at Sarah.

  “I am,” Jody answered. “Your wife is a tease, Megan.”

  “Tell me about it.” Megan took a seat next to Sarah. “She's an expert. I think she took lessons at college. But hey, gotta love her anyway.” She leaned over and gave Sarah a quick kiss, winking at Jody. “Talking about my wife,” Megan continued. “You didn't forget about the party next week, did you? We really want you and Sam here when we celebrate our fifth anniversary.”

  Jody nodded. “We'll be here. I wouldn't want to miss that for the world. I hope this mess will be cleaned up by then and I can continue my normal life again.”

  Megan and Sarah exchanged a look. “What are your plans, Jody?” Megan asked. “I mean, with Sam?”

  Jody stared at the flowers that were bordering the veranda. There was a pensive look on her face. Her green eyes were dark and Megan could see the conflicting emotions run across her expressive features. “We haven't discussed that yet,” Jody finally answered. “Heck, we haven't discussed anything yet. I mean, everything happened so fast and I don't even know whether we want the same thing.”

  “What do you want?” Sarah gently asked.

  “I don't want to give up Sam,” Jody was quick to answer. “When we ran into each other last week it became clear to me that I…. that even though I tried to forget her, I hadn't. Eight years later and I still feel the same way about her. I feel like she completes me. I know that if I’d have to, I could probably live my life without her, like I've been doing ever since she left, but a part of me would be missing. I didn't realize how much I've missed her, until I saw her again. Not being with Sam would hurt.” Jody’s voice cracked and she took a sip of tea. “I now know that, ever since she left, I haven’t really lived. I survived and was content doing so, but I wasn’t happy. Not like I was when we were together.” Jody twirled a strand of hair around her finger and bit her bottom lip, trying to come up with the right words. “I still love her,” she finally said. “And that’s what it all comes down to. I don't think I’ve ever stopped loving her. Somehow I can't.” She tapped her chest. “From the very first moment we met, this place inside opened up and Sam hopped in. She’s never left.” She shot Megan an apologetic look and received a warm smile in return.

  “I’ve always known that, Jody. Please, don't apologize. We knew we would be better friends than lovers, and we are. You were looking for a friend, and you found one.” Megan grabbed Sarah's hand and squeezed it tight. “You’ve found two friends,” she added. “I think that is worth a lot.”

  “It is,” Jody answered. There were tears in her eyes. “You two are wonderful. But you know that.”

  “I know I am,” Sarah deadpanned. “But I’m not so sure about old Megan here.”

  “Hey, who are you calling old?” Megan called out with feigned hurt. She reached out to grab Sarah's arm, but her partner was much faster and had jumped up, before Megan could even touch her.

  Jody laughed. “Take it easy, children. I don't think that—” She stopped in mid-sentence, tilting her head to one side, listening intently. Immediately she jumped up. “There's a car coming.”

  Sarah and Megan stopped their playful interaction and joined Jody, who had stepped down from the veranda and had walked to the driveway. She had hoped to see Sam return, but when the car came into sight, her shoulders slumped slightly. But then she recognized the car and who was in it.

  Megan who was standing next to her heard her gasp.

  “Oh, crap, it's Mom.”

  The first thing that came to Jody’s mind was her father, but then she realized her mother would have called her if something would have happened. Besides, how would she know where to find her? Jody could see Gerald sitting next to his mother, but Lucy was nowhere in sight. Jody clenched her hands into fists. Her stomach dropped and she hoped that Sam and Lucy were safe. By the time, Joan McDonnell had parked her car, Jody’s stomach was tied in knots. As soon as he exited the car, Gerald noticed the anxiety on Jody’s face and he smiled reassuringly, seeing her visibly relax. Sarah and Megan tried to hide their surprise when Joan McDonnell approached. She hesitated and her eyes traveled from Jody to the couple standing next to her. The silence was deafening, until Megan stepped forward, her right hand extended.

  “Mrs. McDonnell, what a surprise. I am Megan, Jody's friend. Please, come up to the veranda, out of the sun. We just made some tea.”

  Joan shook Megan’s hand. “Umm…nice to meet you Megan. I heard about Jody's apartment and I wanted to make sure she's alright.”

  “I'm fine, Mom,” Jody finally spoke. She gave her mother a quick hug. “But thanks for coming up. You've met Megan.” She turned around to Sarah. “This is Sarah, Megan's partner.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. McDonnell.” Sarah smiled. “Please, come out of the sun.”

  Joan McDonnell returned the warm smile and willingly followed Sarah up the stairs, taking a seat in one of the chairs Megan had pulled up.

  “Ger,” Jody whispered when her brother walked by her. “What the hell is going on? Where are Sam and Lucy?”

  “They’ll be here any minute, sis,” Gerald said. He patted Jody’s shoulder. “We ran into Mom and Fiona at the shop.”

  “Fiona?” Jody echoed. “Where is she?”

  “With Sam and Lucy.”

  “What? No, Ger, stop, I don't understand. Please?” Jody was genuinely confused and Gerald took pity on his sister. He wrapped a long arm around her shoulders and steered her away from the veranda so their conversation could not be overheard. “Sam has everything under control, Jody.” He chuckled. “Although, I have to admit I’m dying to hear her version. This is going to be interesting.”

  “That's the understatement of the year.” Jody felt dizzy. All control she had was slipping away, like sand through her fingers. Her mind raced, trying to comprehend what her brother had told her. “Did Sam run into Mom?”

  “No, but Fiona did. Mom doesn't know Sam's here. Yet.”

  “Oh, my goodness,” Jody whispered. She rubbed her forehead. Her mother and Sam meeting was a confrontation she had hoped to postpone, at least until she and Sam had a chance to work things out between them. “I sure hope Sam knows what’s she’s doing.”

  Jody turned around to walk back to the veranda where her mother and Megan were having a polite conversation about the flower garden. Megan sensed the older woman’s agitation and tried to put her at ease, appreciating Joan McDonnell had to willingly be here, doing something her husband did not approve of. She knew from Jody’s stories what kin
d of person David McDonnell was and how his iron will ruled the family.

  Jody sent Megan a grateful smile and took a seat next to her mother. She was trying very hard to ignore the amused glint in Gerald's eyes, who apparently was finding the whole situation very entertaining. Jody shot him a warning glance and was about to ask her mother what she wanted to drink, when a car entered the driveway. It was Lucy's red Volkswagen Beetle. Jody softly groaned.

  “Ah, there are Lucy and Fiona.” Joan McDonnell smiled. “Fiona really wanted to see you, Jody, I…what's wrong, love? You’re so pale. Are you sure you feel alright?”

  Jody could only nod. She clasped her hands in her lap to hide the trembling of her fingers. “I'm okay, Mom. Really,” she answered. Her eyes were glued to the car. They were searching for Sam, who was sitting next to Lucy. After the car stopped, they remained seated and from the gestures she was making, Jody could tell Sam was explaining something. Finally, both car doors were opened and Lucy and Fiona were the first ones to get out, Sam followed, unfolding her tall frame before stretching.

  Jody sent her mother an anxious look. She was staring at the threesome with furrowed brows and Jody knew it would only be seconds before recognition would set in. Joan McDonnell shielded her eyes against the sun to get a better look and her face changed from eager anticipation to bewilderment and finally to shock. All blood drained from her face and even her lips were white when she recognized Sam. Time seemed to freeze when Sam and Joan locked gazes. Slowly, Sam walked up to the veranda. Her limp was pronounced and Jody could tell she was hurting. Her gaze never left Joan McDonnell's. To Jody's relief, Sam looked calm and only the way she bit her bottom lip showed her nervousness.

  Jody's eyes flew from her mother to Sam and back again, waiting for the first words to be exchanged. No one spoke. Lucy and Fiona were standing next to Gerald, who finally seemed to understand the impact of the meeting and Megan and Sarah were sitting very quietly, hardly breathing and wishing they’d be somewhere else. Sam stopped at the bottom of the stairs and looked up. She sent Jody an encouraging smile, before looking back at Joan McDonnell, who, finally, found the strength to speak again.