by Corman, Ana
Squeals and laughter erupted from the other side of the room. Catherine spun to see Costello slinking at warp speed around the edge of the Jacuzzi. Echo jumped in after him, sliding around as she tried to corner the elusive ferret. She lunged for him. He leapfrogged off the tub, dove onto the vanity, and attempted to escape back into the opening just as Brady nabbed him by the scruff of his neck. Brady carried him to the ferret’s pet carrier and shoved him inside.
Austin grabbed Abbott from Olivia and tossed him in with his accomplice. They secured the door. Applause and laughter vibrated off the ceramic tile walls.
Olivia was holding her head in her hands. Catherine knelt before her. “Are you okay, Olivia?”
“Just ducky, thank you for asking. Welcome to my life and my family.”
Catherine laughed and helped Olivia to her feet, realizing that she did feel welcome to this family.
Olivia brushed off her pants. “I swear to God, if anyone tells Ruth what happened in here tonight, I’ll kill you.”
Echo picked up the ferrets’ pet carrier. “There wouldn’t be anything left of us if we did tell Ruth. Come on, everyone, let’s get out of this construction zone.”
She and Zoë and the dads filed out the door. Olivia brushed a smudge of dirt from Catherine’s cheek. “Let’s go into my bathroom and clean up. We’re both covered in plaster dust.”
Catherine swallowed and nodded.
Nineteen
CATHERINE AND OLIVIA PAUSED at the top of the spiral staircase. Catherine rested her forearms on the glossy banister, looking down into the huge family room.
Olivia set down Maya’s pet carrier and stepped next to Catherine, resisting the urge to touch her. “I sense this may be one of those things that makes you uncomfortable, Catherine. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine living in a place this huge. But when I come home to this house, to Echo and Zoë, to the reflection of the love of my dads, all the stress of my day goes away. Can you understand that?”
Catherine nodded. “I think I’m beginning to.”
Olivia took Catherine’s hand. “Come on. I’ll show you my place. But please remember I didn’t expect to have a visitor.”
They toured the three spare bedrooms, kitchen, and sitting room before stepping into the master bedroom at the end of the hall.
Catherine felt both cautious and excited as she entered Olivia’s private world. Framed pictures decorated one wall—Olivia’s dads in tuxedos gazing at each other as if sharing a private moment; Zoë, Echo, and Olivia with arms entwined on a tropical beach; and a younger Olivia with possibly her grandmother sitting close together on an old porch swing.
Catherine ran her fingers along the footboard of Olivia’s king-size four-poster mahogany bed. On one half of the bed, the floral print duvet and sheets were in total disarray. A pink tank top and pink-and-white-striped boxers sat heaped near the pillow. A half-empty bottle of water sat on the bedside table and a pair of sheepskin slippers were piled on the floor. A huge print of a pathway weaving through a forest adorned the wall at the head of the bed.
She felt the nervous tension envelop her as she walked to the fireplace framed in white-and-black swirled marble. On either side of the fireplace, thin panes of glass showcased the lush back yard. She envisioned Olivia’s nights in this magnificent room and felt a heated excitement tingle her skin.
“Sorry about the mess,” Olivia said.
“Don’t apologize. Your room says so much about you.”
“What—that my life is in chaos?”
Catherine laughed. “No. That you lead a busy life.”
“You’re being kind.” Olivia gestured behind them. “The bathroom’s this way.”
Catherine followed Olivia into a spacious bathroom that mirrored the design of Zoe and Echo’s. She joined her at the double sinks at the long vanity of swirled cream marble. They washed their hands at the same time. Olivia grabbed two plush forest green hand towels and handed one to Catherine. “I’m going to slip out of this suit into something more comfortable. Sorry about the plaster dust on your beautiful dress.”
Catherine looked down. “Don’t worry, it’s washable.”
“I’ll be right back. Make yourself at home.”
Catherine placed her towel back on the rack beside Olivia’s. She touched the edge of a Post-it note stuck to the mirror and read. “As one person I cannot change the world, but I can change the world of one person.” Paul Shane Spear. How fitting, she thought.
She walked to the edge of the huge Jacuzzi. A bottle of bubble bath and shower gel were on the rim of the tub bedside a bar of Dove soap. In a far corner sat several candles and an iPod perched in a speaker. She envisioned Olivia immersed in bubbles the day she’d called. She unscrewed the bottle of pearberry shower gel and inhaled. This was the pleasant scent she had smelled on Olivia before.
Adjacent to the Jacuzzi was an expansive glassed-in shower. On a shelf inside were bottles of shampoo, conditioner, face scrub, a razor, and a back brush.
Catherine ran her fingers along a white terrycloth robe hanging outside the shower. She turned and saw Olivia standing in the doorway, dressed in a pair of form-fitting Levi’s and black short-sleeved blouse.
Olivia smiled. “So now you’ve seen where I live. Except that I still have to show you around downstairs. You aren’t too overwhelmed, are you?”
Catherine wasn’t overwhelmed at all. She loved how full this house was of warmth and life. A true, loving family lived within its walls. “I expected to be, but I’m not. It’s a beautiful home.”
“I’m glad. I hadn’t planned to show you this house so soon, Catherine. And I never in a million years thought the first time you met my dads we’d all be sprawled on a bathroom floor chasing two damn ferrets. Not to mention bouncing my head off the toilet bowl and the wall.”
Catherine tentatively touched Olivia’s temple. “Is your head okay?”
“It’s fine. But I felt like a pinball for a while there.”
Catherine couldn’t help but laugh. “We should have filmed that whole fiasco. We’ll be laughing about this for years.”
Olivia looked seriously into Catherine’s eyes. “I hope so.”
Catherine looked away, her heart beating hard.
“How would you like a cup of coffee or tea?” Olivia said lightly. “We both could probably use one after that fiasco.”
“I’d love a cup of tea.”
They descended the spiral staircase to the foyer, where Austin and Brady were getting ready to leave.
“We’ve had way too much fun tonight, girls,” Brady said. “We’re heading home.”
He took Catherine into his arms and hugged her close. “Good night, Catherine. It was such a pleasure meeting you. I’m thrilled your plan worked.”
“I am, too.” She turned to Austin. “Good night, Austin. I hope to see you both again soon. In fact, we’re having a big celebration on St. Patrick’s Day in the bookstore. It’s our tenth anniversary and I’d love for you both to share in the festivities with us.”
“Invitation accepted with pleasure,” Austin said.
They both waved as they headed out the door.
Echo poked her head around the corner. “Ladies, tea’s being served in the living room.”
The four of them settled into the semicircular camel couches, Catherine and Olivia across from Echo and Zoë.
Zoë poured them each a cup of tea, then raised her glass of milk. “To our successful rescue mission and to new friends.” They clinked cups and sipped to their success.
Catherine set her cup of tea down on the coffee table. “Have you ladies decided on a name for your daughter yet?”
Zoë beamed at Echo. “Yes, we have. We’re going to name her Chloe.”
“That’s such a beautiful name.”
Echo gathered Zoë in close. “We think so, too.”
“Please tell me if this question is too personal, but I’ve always dreamed of having my own children and I’m fascinated to know how lesbi
ans decide where they’ll get the sperm.”
Echo leaned her head against Zoe’s. “It was a pretty simple decision for us. My chief of staff has always been my greatest mentor and someone Zoe and I consider a dear friend. He’s sixty and has been married to his high-school sweetheart for forty years. They have six children who are all grown and have their own families. When I first told him that Zoe and I were thinking about having children and were going to research sperm banks, he just thought that was absurd. He offered us his sperm and said he would be happy to sign over his parental rights to us. His wife totally supported that plan. So when Zoe and I were ready almost seven months ago, I handed him a pink baby shower gift bag with a specimen cup and the current issue of Playboy. I told him when he was up to it we would be forever grateful to him and his wife for the gift he was about to give us.”
Catherine laughed. “That’s an amazing story.”
Zoë sipped on her milk. “He’s an amazing man. He’s extremely intelligent and in excellent health so we knew he would be a great donor. His sperm are obviously just as spry, because I got pregnant the first try.”
Echo gave her a shocked look. “I believe I deserve some credit for the success of that union.”
Zoë leaned her head against Echo’s face. “You were amazingly skillful with that turkey baster.”
Echo beamed with pride. “Thank you very much.”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “That definitely falls into the too-much-information category”
Catherine turned to Olivia. “What about you, Olivia? Have you ever thought about having children?”
Olivia hesitated for a moment. “I haven’t. For whatever reason, it’s not something I’ve dreamed about. I love children, but I know myself, I know the challenges on my time. I think my role in life is to be an aunt.”
Catherine nodded, not sure what to say, not sure how she felt.
Zoë tried to cover her yawn. “Is it bedtime yet, baby?”
Echo kissed her forehead. “It sure is, sweetheart.” She rose to her feet and extended her hand to Zoë. “We’re going to say good night, ladies. It’s been a pleasure, but we’re beat.”
“We hope to see you soon, Catherine,” Zoë said.
“I’d like that very much.”
Zoë slipped her hand into Echo’s as they headed up the spiral staircase.
Twenty
“YOU HAVE AN INCREDIBLE FAMILY,” Catherine said. “I happen to think so as well.”
Catherine swallowed hard. “You must be tired, Olivia. I should probably get going before it gets much later.”
“I’m never tired when I’m with you. Stay with me a little longer.”
They settled back onto the couch. Catherine tucked her legs under her and wrapped her hands around her warm cup of tea.
“I told you about Jessica,” Olivia said. “What about you? When was your last relationship?”
Catherine hesitated a moment, thinking back to that difficult time. “It started eight years ago, and ended two years ago. When my father was in his final stages of cancer, we wanted to get him home to be with us. The nurses arranged for us to meet with a social worker to make those plans.”
Catherine was surprised at how important it felt to share her story with Olivia. She needed her to understand why she was so cautious with relationships. “Her name was Alexis. She was incredible. She helped us get my dad home in a matter of days. Shortly after he died she called to check up on us. We met for dinner. Then we started spending a lot of time together.
“Alexis has a daughter named Kayla. She’ll be ten this year. I adored them both. A year after we met we moved into a rental house together and started our life as a family.
“We’d been together for two years when my mother was diagnosed. In the beginning Alexis was really supportive. Then she started resenting all the time I spent away from her and Kayla. I thought she understood that my mom needed me. Apparently I was wrong.”
Olivia was listening quietly and attentively, which gave Catherine the courage to continue. “Even after Dana finished her treatments and was doing better, Alexis was still distant. My relationship with Kayla grew stronger and Alexis and I grew further apart. I figured it would just take time and we would eventually get back what we lost. I don’t think she understood how scared I still was, how much I needed her support. She never talked to me about any of it. Communication is so important between women, and Alexis and I had a major meltdown in that area.”
Catherine took a breath. Now that she’d started her story, she needed to tell Olivia the whole thing. “One morning Alexis forgot her cell phone at home. I was driving it over to her office for her when it rang. The name on the display was Barbara. I answered the call, which obviously shocked Barbara, who gave me the lame excuse of a wrong number. I scrolled through the call log and it became quite apparent that Barbara had called Alexis many times. The nature of their relationship was clear through the few text messages I read. When I handed Alexis her phone I told her she should probably call Barbara back, that by now she might even be over her shock at me answering. That night, Alexis admitted that she’d been having an affair with Barbara while I’d been busy with my mom.
“I was a wreck. I felt so betrayed. One week later I moved out, and I understand that Barbara moved in.”
Olivia shook her head, her expression both fierce and compassionate. “I can only begin to imagine how difficult that was for you.”
“I thought I was going to lose my mind. But I quickly saw the people in my life who truly cared about me. My mom was my greatest source of strength. Laura and everyone at the store were wonderful. I wouldn’t have made it through without their love and kindness.”
“I hope that Alexis knows what she’s lost.”
Catherine shrugged. “I haven’t talked to her since. But I do miss Kayla. The hardest part of that breakup was saying goodbye to her and not being able to explain why her mother was doing this to us. I fear she feels I abandoned her. That’s the part that tears my heart out.”
“I’m so sorry, Catherine.”
“Me too. The only good thing that came out of that mess was that it motivated me to buy my own house. It was a financial stretch, but I knew I needed to take the plunge. I’d talked to Alexis about us buying a home together and she kept putting me off. Then my mom got diagnosed and everything got put on hold. It’s a modest little house just a few blocks from my mom’s, but it’s home. It was a place of healing for me and now it’s my haven from this crazy world.”
“I look forward to seeing it.”
“I look forward to showing it to you.”
Catherine touched the gold links on Olivia’s watch. “What’s the most important thing you learned from your relationship with Jessica?”
Olivia thought for a moment. “I learned to make sure the next woman I share my life with is a better fit. Which doesn’t mean I think we should have identical passions and lifestyles. Partners need to complement, not always compromise like Jessica and I did. I need peace in my next relationship, not constant conflict. It completely drained me. I want to pour my energy and love into a relationship, not drain it with resentment and regrets.”
“We both learned some valuable lessons,” Catherine said.
The large oak ornate mantel clock chimed softly twelve times. “I should probably get going home. We both have to work in the morning.”
“What if I asked you to stay?”
Catherine felt a rush of desire for Olivia, but shook her head. “I’m not ready for that, Olivia. My heart isn’t ready. I don’t know that I’m ready to trust and commit again. I really care about you. Since we first met, I’ve wanted to run from you yet you kept drawing me in. Your warmth and kindness embrace me. Your personality and sense of humor charm me. But what I need now from you more than anything is your friendship. I want to spend time strengthening that with you.”
“And if I told you my heart is ready for more?”
“I’d feel overwhelmed. Please be pa
tient and accept that I need to face my fears at my own pace.”
Olivia leaned forward and skimmed the soft pad of her thumb across Catherine’s chin. “I would love to take the time to explore our friendship. But let me tell you right now, I want you. I’m not a very patient person when I crave something, Ms O’Grady. Be forewarned. But I’ll try to respect your wish for time.”
“Thank you.”
Catherine eased herself off the couch and extended her hand to Olivia. They walked hand and hand to the front foyer. Olivia retrieved Catherine’s red cardigan and held it as she slipped into the sleeves.
Catherine straightened her cuffs and fidgeted with the buttons at her waist. She looked up at Olivia and was overcome by her need for this woman. She was never going to hold fast to her plea for time if she stood in this aura of yearning. She felt all logic slip from its tenuous hold. She inhaled deeply as she took a step back. “Good night, Olivia. Thank you for a wonderful evening, ferrets and all.”
Olivia tilted her head. “Good night, Catherine. I enjoyed you immensely this evening.”
Catherine quickly grabbed Maya’s carrier, headed for the door, and unlocked the bolt. She jerked the door open and stood with her back to Olivia. She wanted to run, but her body refused to cooperate. She sensed Olivia behind her even before she felt her press her body against her back, closing the door quietly with their motion, easing the carrier from her fingers and onto the floor.
Olivia put her hands on the door on either side of Catherine’s shoulders. She brushed her lips against her ear and then her neck. Catherine leaned back into her, a surge of searing heat dancing across her skin. Each touch of Olivia’s moist lips sent trembles through her body.
Olivia turned Catherine in her arms and pressed her back against the door. “Kiss me.”
