Disclaimer: The characters are my own, but this is an uber so you can expect to see some familiarities with XWP. Not many, but a few.
Anything else: This is a fic written by a Swede which means that the grammar might look funny every now and then. And the women in this fic likes women. If that's an appalling thought for you or if it's illegal where you live, don't read the thing.
Homecoming
by Joey H.
"Do I look ok?"
"You look fine, sweetheart."
The tall woman finished buttoning her vest and looked into the mirror with a concerned frown on her face. Throughout the room clothes lay scattered; on the small couch beneath the window, on the king sized bed (which also held a pile of socks in various colors) and in a path across the floor. The current outfit was a classic one; well, in her case it was, anyway. Black jeans with a snug fit, a blue faded shirt that brought out the radiant color of her eyes... and the vest, that once was a denim jacket. The sleeves had been lost sometime back in God knows when, during a night of doing only God knows what.
She combed her fingers through the short black hair. The new haircut looked good enough, she presumed. It would have to do. Her hands fell down to the vest, tugging at it, wanting it to fit just right. She gazed at herself critically, hesitating. "I'm growing old, aren't I?"
Nick looked up from her reading. The redhead lowered the book and took in the sight before her eyes. Her partner was adorable. There was something vulnerable in the tall woman's posture that made her look exposed and fragile. Uncertainty looked back at her from blue, pleading eyes. George hardly ever showed this softer side of herself, it was only her wife who had the privilege of sharing those rare moments with her. Nick smiled. "Nah, you're just a li'l rough around the edges. You'll do fine, I promise."
George just stood there looking down her body with worry written all over her chiseled features. Her fingertips shivered, gesturing to temples wearing a faint touch of silver. "I've got grey hair."
Nick tried not to laugh and was proud of herself when she swallowed her giggles. The book was forgotten, and she walked off the bed to walk towards her troubled partner. Small arms embraced a strong waist, having an immediate calming effect on the taller woman. George turned around in her embrace. Nick could feel warm lips nuzzle her neck and closed her eyes.
"Mmmm..."
The nuzzling stopped, followed by a gasp. "I look like I could be your mother, Nick!"
"George! You do not! You hear me? Damn, woman. Do I have to repeat to you that you're the sexiest woman alive and always will be?"
Their eyes met. George gulped. "You swear? Even with the grey hairs?"
Nick nodded. "Uh-huh. Believe me, snuggles. They just add to the attraction." She wiggled her eyebrows. "Wanna do something X-rated?..."
George laughed and stopped the small woman with her hand. The eager mouth never reached its destination.
"Hey! No fair! Lemme get some candy..."
"You're incorrigable! Who's supposed to be the diesel dyke of this family, huh?" George managed to avoid an intended lovebite. "Back off. You're supposed to be supportive and parentey."
The redhead blinked. "Parentey?"
"Yeah." George unbuttoned her vest and threw it on the bed. She looked herself in the mirror for what was probably the umpteenth time.
"Is that even a word?"
"Yep. I like this. I look casual. Should I roll up my sleeves and show some muscles?"
The smaller woman glanced upwards, thanking an almighty power. "Pleaseeee doooo..." She grimaced when strong fingers smacked her own. "Ow!"
"Hey, keep your fingers to yourself! It's embarrassing enough that she's caught us in the act once."
Nick grinned. "So? We explained that to her. We were making a baby sister for her."
George kissed her wife briefly. "Mm. I remember that. She was so disappointed when she didn't get one."
"Oh well. That's too bad, but it wasn't from our lack of trying!"
They both almost keeled over in laughter, leaning against each other for support.
George and Nick were fortunate. Marriage, or 'partnership' according to society, had been good to them and their twenty-fifth anniversary would be celebrated a month from now. Their daughter Jennifer would be coming home from college to attend the party, and this was why George was dressing up. She was more than a bit worried about their reunion.
They hadn't heard from Jen in six months and the tall woman had been overly excited once the call finally came and plans were made for Jen's trip home. Nick had offered the girl a ride from the airport but Jen had politely declined the offer, implying that she wouldn't be alone. Both women were having mixed feelings about that, knowing that it was the first time since high school their daughter had brought anyone home to see her parents. Nick knew George, and the otherwise so confident and cocky woman was literally on the verge of shitting bricks. She was that nervous.
Nick took pity on her partner and grasped both her hands. "Hey... everything will be alright, sweetheart. You'll see."
George looked at Nick like the woman had grown three heads. "You're not the least bit nervous, are you?" She swore. "Damn, how did ya get so strong? A rock, that's what you are!" Her facial expression changed back and forth between raging chaos and frightened desperation. "I think I'm gonna be sick. Where's our bathroom?" She turned around, eyes searching the walls. "Oh God, I can't remember where the door is!"
Nick's hold of George's hands steadied and she practically had to drag her partner back. The older woman looked like she was well on her way to having an anxiety attack. "You know, I'm usually the one blabbering off like a madwoman. How come you're so wound up, honey?" She continued to mumble endearments while calmly stroking her partner's hand.
"We haven't seen or heard from her in months, Nick! And -now- suddenly she calls out of nowhere, asking for someplace to stay over the weekend. I mean... Hell, she could lie dead in a bottomless pit somewhere, in a ditch by some god-forsaken road. How would I know? Is one single, tiny little phonecall too much to ask for? A letter of recognition, a telegram to say 'Hey mom, I'm alive!' or- or anything! God. I've been worried sick!" She stopped speaking abruptly. "Shit. I AM blabbering, aren't I?"
The redhead grinned, utterly charmed. "Yeah. Yeah, you are. But it's the cutest thing I ever saw. So come on over here and plant those soft, tempting lips right where I need 'em, you big teddy bear, you…"
"I'm not-" George started to protest.
"Honey, shut up." Nick pulled her wife closer and they kissed, making all worries fade away... and all conversation ceased for a long time.
Breaths mingled and grew heavy, George's hands found their way inside Nick's clothes and the small woman elicited a longdrawn groan that almost made her go crazy. Off, off… clothes need to go off… Garments were thrown all over the room and both women's movements grew frantic with want. George backed her partner up against the bed and they fell over, a groaning mess of tangled legs and moving hands touching as much skin as they could, passion rolling off their bodies in waves.
They were halfway through sex when loud knocks on the door interrupted them. George groaned and sank down against the quivering woman beneath her. They lay there gasping for breath, wishing the insistant knocker to hell.
Nick brushed strands of black hair from George's forehead and kissed her there. "We'd better get up, sweetheart. It could be Jen who's early."
"I'm gonna kill that kid!" The voice was frustrated, still hoarse with need. "She can wait a few hours, we're paying for her damn return ticket so it's not like she can go anywhere anyway. C'mere!" Strong arms pinned their prey to the mattress and an eager mouth firmly attached itself to a soft breast.
Nick shoved the large body off of her and got up. She found her panties, put them on and searched for the rest of her clothes. George sank deeper into the mattress, pulling the covers over her head. Nick saw a bare foot sticking out from under them and shook it.
A diffuse, hollow grumble answered her and she chuckled. "Come on, bad girl. Rise and shine."
Moments later they were both dressed, heading towards the door. They were passing through the livingroom when a shrill ringing announced the doorbell.
George threw a heated glance ahead. "Fuck. I thought I'd taped that sucker down!"
"You did." Nick blinked. "Hey, don't give me that look! I didn't touch it! I know how much you hate the noise of that poor little button."
"It's not a button, it's a-goddamned-demon-from-hell-that-rips-your-soul-out-through-your-ears!"
A quick look in the hall mirror and then George flung the door open.
A blonde woman with a stylish haircut met her rage with a satisfied smile and lowered her hand. "Oh, so you are home? Great. Sid, you can cut the doorbell." Another woman, with short dark hair, grinned and pushed the button one last time just to infuriate George even more. The blonde walked in and hugged Nick. "Hey, sweetie! How are things?" Nick had barely opened her mouth before the woman stepped back with a curious look in her eyes. "Wow, you've cleaned the place! Is the fridge full, by the way? Oh, and do you have any icecream?"
"Uh-"
"I'll help myself." She walked past the stunned redhead and disappeared into the kitchen. "Did you know that the average straight woman has a total of five real orgasms in a lifetime? Isn't that outright depressing?" Her voice grew distant as she ventured deeper into the kitchen. A slow hiss was followed by a happy sigh. "I'll take the double chocolate chip Häagen Dazs, guys! Just so you know!"
By the door, the brunette was still grinning at George who was muttering curses. A third woman looked at their cursing host and gave her a hesitant smile. "Sorry guys, did we interrupt anyth-?"
Blue eyes glared at her, saying they goddamn did. The woman gulped.
Sid's grin grew wider. "Was doing the nasty, huh? Way to go, oldie."
"Wipe that smirk off your face, bony-ass" George growled. Nick blushed furiously. Sid looked back and forth between them and hesitated, her face now apologetic. "Hey, if we've come in a bad time we can leave, you know? You can always tell us to take a hike, no hard feelings whatsoever. Right, Anna?"
The brown-haired woman beside her squirmed uncomfortably. She turned from the growling George to the more sympathetic Nick. "I'm sorry… we're sorry… so sorry. This is embarrassing, I mean you guys were in the middle of something and we just- ehr, we'd just better leave."
Sid nodded. "Yeah. I'll go get Trish before she eats everything in the freezer, okay?" She walked past them and headed towards the kitchen. "Anna, apologize."
Anna seemed to shrink under the cold glare still aimed at her. "We apologize. Honestly; we're so, so sorry!"
It was impossible to stay mad at Anna, who was stuttering and looking like she'd rather sink through the floor right about then. George sighed and relaxed her shoulders, releasing all tension. "Well, you're here now… no point in throwing you out. Come in!" She waited for her friend to walk in before she shut the door.
Anna threw herself at her and hugged for all she was worth. " Thanks George, you won't regret it! We won't be long anyway! We've missed you guys this week!"
The tall woman smiled and patted Anna's back. "It's okay, Anna. And no matter how much I may regret saying this later, we've missed you pests too."
Anna beamed at her and went over to hug Nick. After that, she hurried to follow the others.
"Blueberry pie!?! I love you guys!!!" Sid howled with happiness. The rattling and bouncing of spoons being poured out on the counter was heard approximately the same time Anna opened the freezer, producing another long hiss.
"Yay! Rocky Road!!"
George and Nick looked at each other. The brunette opened her mouth. "I'm so glad we decided one kid was enough. I'd never survive another."
"You read my mind" the redhead agreed.
A loud bang echoing throughout the house had them running for the kitchen.
"So you guys haven't seen her for about… what is it? Four, five, six; -half a year! Damn, that's a long time!" Sid smacked her lips and stuck out her tongue. "Is it blue yet?"
Anna looked up from a ravaged bucket of Rocky Road and squinted her eyes. "No… it's more… like, uhm, purple-red-ish?"
Trish rolled her eyes. "God, you guys are so childish!"
Anna sucked her spoon with a guilty expression, trying to make herself scarce.
Sid tilted her head sideways and gave her friend a cocky smile. "So? It's not like you are ms. Perfect."
Trish just gave her a 'cut-the-crap' look. Sid tactfully avoided it and scratched her cheek while she kept shifting her gaze, trying to look at anything but Trish until she realized she couldn't escape the truth. "Yeah. You're right. We are pathetic."
"Hear, hear!" George grinned from where she was lying on the couch, her arms around a slumbering Nick.
Sid continued, "I mean, look at us! Anna's thirty-five and still a virgin-"
"Twenty-nine and I've done it twice!" Laughter erupted from all around the livingroom, mingled with 'both lefty and rightie?', 'good one, Anna!' and 'like minus two'. Anna looked hurt and persisted, "I did too! Twice!"
"-yeah, yeah. Whatever… and you Trish, you've screwed your way from LA to Boston and back…"
The others looked at Trish, who simply shrugged. "It's true."
"-And I… whoa… I've had a crush on Marie Singleton since she walked into my classroom in the 2nd grade. Man, she was beautiful! I remember I used to watch her every move. Everything she did became so interesting… she could make even the dullest math lesson fascinating, you know? Yeah, I know. The terminology sucks, right? But still… We ended up taking the same classes and choosing the same schools, but after our college graduation I never saw her again. I still go ga-ga whenever someone walks by wearing her perfume…"
"Yeah, you're right. That is pathetic" Anna said, shaking her head and digging through her bucket for the last icecream. Trish nodded her agreement.
"I don't think that's pathetic at all. Go, Sid. Find that girl and live happily ever after." Nick yawned, her eyes heavy from sleeping. She cuddled into her wife and smiled when George gently kissed her cheek. Strong arms tightened around her, making her feel completely safe, like nothing in the world could ever harm her.
George smiled down at her. "Hey, sweetheart. Had a nice nap?"
She nodded, managing a lazy smile. " You give great hugs. You know that? Mmm… is Jen here yet?" Drowsy green eyes looked around for their girl but the only other people she saw in the room were Trish, Sid and Anna. She wondered how long she'd been asleep and turned her head in search of a clock. George got her attention by tapping her watch. "Holy shit! You've let me sleep that long?! It's almost seven! Wasn't she supposed to be here at six?"
"I guess it was hard finding a cab. Want something to drink?" The brunette grinned, it seemed like order was restored to the family with Nick being the worry wart and herself staying calm and cool. "Anna's been saying she'll make us some raspberry shakes when she's done looking through that bucket of hers."
Sid guffawed. "Like that's ever going to happen! She'll lick the carpet for icecream spots before she moves her fat ass!" She stuck her tongue out when Anna gave her the finger. "Ouch! That hurt, Anna. Really did."
"I'm not fat, am I?" Anna asked with just enough steel in her voice to make the others get the point.
"Look: no need getting all bitchy, Anna" Sid said, patting her friend's shoulder. "It's just a figure of speech, you know that. And of all people you should know what an asshole I am. Right?"
"You are a no-good looser, Sidney. And a sorry excuse for a girlfriend. Fucking bitch."
"That's the spirit, sweetie! Let it all out!" Sid grinned with glee.
Nick raised her eyebrows. "I never knew you dated Anna, Sid?"
Trish laughed and began gathering the remains of their little icecream and pie indulgence. "Oh yes, she did! All the time while she was also busy dating Elena, flirting the hell out of Jordy and fucking me senseless. Sid's your regular asshole. You gotta hand it to her, though; bitch got class. Never got caught even once! We found out afterwards… when was it, Anna?"
"The Stigma release party" Anna replied with a shrug, helping Trish to pick up spoons and leftovers.
"The Stigma release party… I'll never forget that party, there was this cute little blonde flaunting her bits and pieces at me the whole night. I flaunted some of my own too, mind you! And what happens? Just when I've hit on her, everything's cool and I'm about to give her a drink, she's gone. Just vanished. Off the face of the earth. Now, I've studied her moves and my gut tells me I'll find her by the pool. I just know it… you see, she's been driving me nuts with her little wet t-shirt number and I figure she's doing it again, so I go down to the pool to find her and there's people everywhere. Dancing, making out, talking, listening to some wiseguy bragging about how he's in with the band… Anyway, I come down to the pool and what do I see? Sid fucking her blonde brains out against a goddamned fence! Nevermind being considerate and hiding yourself behind the plants so nobody can see you; naw, just fuck her where everyone else can watch. Bloody bitch." Trish stopped, grinning at Sid affectionately and adding "That's when I turned and sauntered off to badmouth Sid with some other girls. And Anna and I discovered that we had more in common than just being friends. We were well and truly integrated in Sid's network of fuck buddies. No wrong with that, guys!" She threw out her hands. "A girl just wants to know, you know. I don't mind if someone I date screws other women, as long as I'm aware of it. It's a confidence thing."
"Right on, Trish. Want a Corona or five?" Sid asked on her way across the treshold.
Trish shook her head. "No, we should get going soon. The party's starting in an hour, and I want to have a good head on my shoulders when I check out tonight's menu. Wanna have fresh meat and not end up in bed with Jordy again. She's so damn needy."
Sid rolled her eyes and disappeared into the other room, heading towards the kitchen.
Anna collected Trish's garbage and leftovers. She was shaking her head, glancing meaningly at the woman before her. Trish looked up. "What?"
"You said it; we're pathetic. We're not teenagers anymore, we are well beyond thirty and still behave like horny kids. Uhm, you two do, anyway… I'm just a loser who can't even get a date."
"Hey, where did that come from!?" Trish gave her friend a one-armed hug and searched her eyes carefully. The blonde's face was relaxed and the alert cockiness displayed in Sid's presence had vanished for an expression of calm re-assurence and consideration. "You're beautiful, sweetie! We're gonna get you a date, I swear."
"Really?" Anna's voice was tiny and the simple question held a world of insecurity, making her seem even more vulnerable than she was.
Trish nodded decicively. "Oh yeah. Tonight we're on a mission to get you a date. And not just any date; a date who's worthy of you. Okay?"
Anna gave her a small smile. "I love you guys."
"We love you too, you wuz. Come on, let's go terrorize Sid in the kitchen!" She ushered Anna out of the room and waved back to George and Nick who both gave her the thumbs up.
Nick looked at the cleared table, contemplating the talks and friendships and voiced her conclusion: "Well, at least they clean up good and take out the garbage. I guess there's some hope after all."
A shrill ringing tore through their eardrums, making George cringe. She groaned and shot a murdering glare at the doorway leading to the hall. Nick laughed and got up, turning around to drag her partner with her. "That's our baby, honey. On your feet and let's welcome her home!"
George cleared her throat and straightened her vest, making sure she looked good and proper when she opened the door. The two women walked side by side across the livingroom and through the hall to stop in front of the door. The wavy glass revealed two dark shadows about the same height. The doorbell rang a second time and they could hear a familiar voice mumbling through the glass. Duplicate smiles spread across their lips and the air sizzled with excitement. They were gonna see their daughter for the first time in six months! Suddenly the wait seemed too long and George turned the door handle to reveal a tall, dark beauty in her early twenties and an equally tall young man with brown hair. Jen bit her lower lip and smiled at the young man who smiled lamely, looking nervous.
"Hi, mom. This is Darryl, my boyfriend. We're getting married!"
The silence following the statement was deafening. All four seemed to exist in a temporary twilight zone, where reality merged with a vague, unknown dimension. Tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Jennifer didn't dare breathing, worried about her mothers' reactions, in particularly George, who's eyes were bulged like they'd pop out of her skull any moment. Nick was stunned but did a fast recovery, smiling re-assuringly. Darryl still seemed stunned by the fact that neither one of George and Nick was a guy. Three pairs of brows were raised when the tall woman dropped to the ground with a loud thud.
"God! Mom?!?" Jennifer rushed forward, kneeling beside her fainted mother.
Nick swore and fell to her knees, eyeing her partner quizzically. This wasn't quite the reaction she'd expected from George. She patted the tall woman's cheek. "George, honey?"
Trish, Sid and Anna had heard the noise and came running, only to stop and stare in shock at their fallen friend. That lasted for about a second. All three looked up and gaped when they saw the young man standing in the hall. He closed the door and turned to Jennifer. "Darling, you never told me you had two mothers?"
Anna blinked. Trish looked from the guy to Jennifer and back.
The dapper youth spoke again, "Jennifer, why didn't you tell me? Jesus Christ, what will mother and father think!?"
Sid let out a low whistle. "It's a guy!" she laughed. "He's a guy!"
"Mommy, I've killed her!" The young woman was almost in tears.
Nick sighed. "No, you've not. She's just being a drama queen. Could you take Darryl and go find the smelling salt? I think it's in the med box somewhere in the left cupboard. I'll try to wake her up, ok?"
"Yeah... you are sure she'll be ok, mommy?" Jen hesitated, not really wanting to leave her mom lying on the floor. But Nick urged her with a gesture to head towards the kitchen.
"Don't worry, sweetheart. She'll be up and about in no time. You go ahead with Darryl and find the salt, alright?" She smiled, wanting to assure Jen there was no danger with her mother. "You might as well put your suitcases by the stairs while you're at it."
Jennifer nodded and took her fiancé's hand. Darryl looked confused, like he couldn't believe his eyes. "Come, Darryl. You take care of the suitcases while I find the salt, okay?" They couple hurried out of the room.
The four friends managed to shake the tall woman back to consciousness. When her eyes opened, she started waving her arms and gasp for breath. Nick caught her hands and pulled her up to sit. "Are you okay?"
She brushed the strands from George's forehead and listend when the older woman started forming fast, short sentences with a voice that stumbled over itself. "She's gonna marry it! Did you see its face? The smug weasel! She can't marry that! It's got a penis! My daughter's not straight! She can't be! This isn't happening!"
"Sweetheart, breathe... she's twenty-one years old, she makes her own decisions. If Jen is happy we should support her and welcome Darryl into our home."
George glared at her wife, her eyes big as saucers. "What happened to that nice girl she used to date? Emma?"
Nick suppressed a laugh. "Honey, you couldn't stand Emma. You specifically said that she wasn't to lay her filthy butch hands on your little girl's body, remember? You drove her off!"
"Yeah, but that was then. This is now!" George whined. "Besides; wild girls change! I did!"
Nicole patted her partner's shoulder with a wicked grin plastered over her face. "Only because I tamed you honey. Only because I tamed you."
Jennifer came back into the room and stood there, watching her mothers and their friends, hearing Darryl's upset voice in her right ear. Her fiancé kept talking, raving on and on about how his parents wouldn't accept her having two mothers and no father. He cracked one outrageous idea after the other, every single one involving finding her 'real' dad or hiring some actor posing the part. By now, she really wished Emma had been there with her. She didn't know why, she just had a feeling something was out of place and that the small, cocky blonde knew how to fix it, like she always did. Jen hadn't imagined something like this would happen and now she wondered if maybe they should have stayed at school over the weekend, to come out and visit her parents for their anniversary later on. She shook that thought and walked up to her honorary aunts. "Hi Anna, Sid, Trish, it's been ages! How are things?"
"We're great, sweetie. But your mom seems to be having a fit." Trish grinned, nodding in George's direction. Jen saw her mother inspect Darryl with the strangest look on her face and she couldn't tell if it was from surprise, disappointment or confusion. She realized that it hurt, because they had been close her entire life... and not knowing what went through her mother's head was scary. Scary like the dark nights of her childhood when mr Bear couldn't help her and they had a lamp lit her room so she'd be able to sleep. She didn't think her mom would hold a grudge against Darryl for a long time, the tall woman always encouraged people to forgive and forget. Besides, Jen knew that her fiancé would charm the pants off both her mothers if given the opportunity. She reminded herself of the fact that he was a good guy, had a good personality and good friends and a good career waited for him after college and… well… she loved him, didn't she?
George got to her feet, straightened her clothes and held out her hand. "Hello Darryl. I'm Georgina, Jennifer's mother. I'm pleased to meet you."
Jen smiled when Darryl took her mother's hand and shook it. Yeah, everything would be okay. But she could have sworn she heard giggles behind her when George proceeded to give Darryl a warm welcome and offer him the house tour. She looked over her shoulder only to find Sid and Trish deeply involved in conversation while Anna tapped her watch and announced that they were about to miss their party.
Hugs and goodbyes were exchanged and the three women were on their way. As Nick shut the door after them, George and Darryl walked off for the tour. The redhead came over to hug her daughter. "Hi, sweetheart! We didn't get the chance earlier… how are you? The trip went well?"
"Hi mommy, yeah the trip was fine. Trouble getting a cab, though. And I'm fine…" Jen hesitated, "Just… fine."
The smaller woman frowned, there was such confusion written on her daughter's features, she looked like she was lost. "I'm sensing a 'but' here somewhere, so speak."
Jen swallowed. "Later, okay?"
Nick nodded. "Whenever you're ready, sweetheart. Let's get you settled in. Will you and Darryl be sharing room?"
"No, no." Jen shuffled her feet, uncertain as to why she felt good admitting it. "Separate bedrooms."
One signal. Two signals. Three signals. Four… five… Jen made sure her door was locked and went to bed, slipping under the covers. Seven… Eight… Where was she? A familiar hurt settled in her stomach and lingered there, increasing with every hollow beep of the signal. Eleven… Twelve…
Finally, a fumbling noise followed by a clanking sound and colorful cursing could be heard when the phone was dropped to the floor on the other end of the line. The receiver was fished up from the hard surface and clumsily placed to an ear. A drowsy voice answered. "What is it? I'm trying to get some fucking sleep here! Gimme a fucking break and call to-fucking-morrow!"
Jen held her breath. "Emma?"
Not a sound was heard, save for breathing. Then, hesitantly; "Jen?"
She smiled and buried herself deep beneath the warm covers. "How's the apartment? The sink's still leaking?"
Warm laughter greeted her questions. "The apartment's fine… and I've fixed the sink twice, but it just keeps leaking! You know me, I'm too stubborn to let anyone else have a look. Have to fix it myself… someday, if I'm lucky, it will work. So… do you still sleep with the lights on?"
"Yeah. Look… Well-"
Emma sighed and cut her off, "We both know you didn't call me up for idle chit-chat, my friend. What do you want?"
Jen chewed on her lip, deciding between going with the truth or a blatant lie.
"It's adorable when you do that, but cut the mysterious bullshit and tell me what you want?" Emma's voice had a no-nonsense tone to it that left Jen no choice but to blurt it out.
"Talk."
She could practically hear her friend smile through the phone and the rustling of her covers. "Wow! One word! Now we're getting somewhere. What can I do for you, madame? What do you need?"
Jen cleared her throat. "Advice."
"Two syllables? I do believe we are making progress, ms. Anderson! What is it?"
"I'm engaged. Ehr… to a man."
The line went quiet. Emma felt how her insides were ripped to shreds.
"Fuck."
Jen sighed. "Fuck indeed."