Chapter 22

“Just,” Aubrey started to reply before pausing and fidgeting a bit with her hands, which she had kept in her lap the entire time that she knelt there. She looked at me, all of her self-assurance gone, and then looked back at Jackie. My wife was giving her the look I imagine she normally gave misbehaving undergraduates from the lectern. Finally, she looked down at the floor and quietly blurted out, “Just that I, I would do anything. I mean, for the right couple ... All either of you would have to do would be to tell me to do something, and I’d do it.”

She was utterly still now, and she looked back up at us from underneath her brows. I don’t for the life of me know what she expected either of us to say. When we simply looked back at her and remained quiet, she lost whatever courage she had left. “Anything!”, she said once more, desperately, and then quickly got back up and crossed the floor to where the rest of her teammates were still dancing and talking.

A moment later, when Jackie and I got up to go back upstairs, Aubrey didn’t turn or acknowledge us. She seemed to be talking and laughing with the other girls, and nobody gave us any side-eye, so we quickly climbed the stairs and got out of there. Back in the kitchen, I released a breath I didn’t even realize I’d been holding.

“What. The. Fuck. Was. That?” I asked.

Jackie, shaking her head and glancing back at the open basement door, replied, “Just what it sounded like. I mean, I think she was asking to take Delaney’s place. And if I’m right, then we need to have a fucking talk with Delaney. I mean,” she continued, turning back to me. “Just how much did she tell that girl about us?” I had no idea, and we stood there helplessly staring at each other for a moment.

“We’ve got to get out of here,” I said. She nodded, and stepped up to me for a long hug. I could tell she was scared. Hell, so was I. While we technically hadn’t done anything illegal – Delaney had been 18 throughout our relationship, after all – our careers and our standing in the neighborhood could certainly suffer if it got out that we’d had an affair with a high school girl. I had a morals clause in my contract that meant I could get fired over something like this. Jackie could be denied tenure. This was serious.

“Look,” I finally said, “we don’t really know what went on. We might be reading a lot more into that than there really was.” She nodded and took my hand as we went to find the O’Brien’s and say good-bye. As it happened, they were all together in the den, where a fire was now burning on the hearth. Most of the neighbors had gone home by now, leaving only the family, a few college girls, and, of course, the high school girls partying in the basement.

As we said our good-byes and thank-yous and Merry Christmases all around, Delaney jumped up and offered to show us to our coats. As it so happened, they were in her room. Hers was the closest bedroom to the front door, so her sister had simply thrown everybody’s coats across Delaney’s bed as people arrived.

It was completely surreal to be in Delaney’s bedroom. Some of her childhood posters and artwork were still on the walls. Family photos, and some of her earliest trophies, were lined up on her dressers. We felt that we knew her so well, but this is where she had grown up, in this room. This bed was where she had slept, night after night. It was a disconcerting feeling, both comfortable and uncomfortable at the same time.

Delaney herself wasted no time as soon as we were alone, grabbing each of us and kissing us in turn. For my part, despite my confusion, I enthusiastically kissed her back. While I was in her arms, our tongues entwined, I could pretend that it was still last spring and we still had weeks and months ahead of us to be together. It was obvious Jackie felt the same way. A moment later, though, she pushed the big girl away, hands out as if to keep her at arm’s length. She took a deep breath and looked at her warily. “What’s going on?” she asked.

“Don’t worry,” Delaney quickly said, “I’ve been getting everybody’s coats and showing them to the door. They won’t come looking for us if we take a couple of minutes!” Then she leaned in for another kiss, eyes closed, but Jackie stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“That’s not what I’m talking about,” she said. “What’s going on with that girl downstairs?

After a moment of incomprehension, Delaney suddenly grinned and said, “Oh, so Aubrey made her move? How’d she do?”

“Ummmm, she practically fell all over herself,” Jackie replied. When Delaney smiled even wider, she continued, “Look, let me repeat myself. What the hell is going on here? You may find this funny, but Danny and I sure don’t? Just how much did you tell her about us?”

Delaney looked from one to the other of us, taking in our expressions, and seemed to make a decision. “Grab your coats,” she replied, nodding. “Come with me and let me explain.” With that she took a hoodie from her closet and led us to the front door.

“Hey,” she called into the den. “Dr. Rossi has a book I can use for the AmLit class I’m taking next semester. I’m going to walk her and Mr. Rossi home and pick it up.” Her family all waved and said a last good-bye and Merry Christmas to Jackie and me, and a moment later the three of us were all out the door.