Chapter 15

Jennifer hugged the arms that were around her body. “Welcome to my world since the first time I saw you.”

Margaret turned Jennifer around. Their nipples rub together. “Since there isn’t really a Sammy and me yet, and I think she’d approve, can I kiss you? Just one kiss.”

“Maggie, you may.”

With hot water cascading down their faces, Margaret put her mouth over Jennifer’s. It had been years since she’d kissed a girl, but it was easier than riding a bike and a hell of a lot more fun.

They were breathing hard when they stopped making out. “You’re a good kisser,” Jennifer said.

Margaret backed up against the wall and slid down until she was hugging her legs to her chest and crying. Kissing the younger version of herself made Margaret long for every one of the kisses she could have gotten from Sammy. “I’m so stupid. I could have really been happy all this time, but I traded Sammy for what? To live like I’m rich?”

Jennifer stopped the water, pulled Margaret up, and used a giant towel to dry her off. “Come on, we’ll get some coffee and something to eat. You’ll feel better.”

They sat wrapped in towels, drinking coffee in silence until Margaret tried to steer any further conversation away from relationships. “Jenny, you said technically you were still a dancer, what does that mean?”

“I’ll still perform at a special event, but only if I feel like it and the money is great.”

Margaret looked around the giant open space of the reappropriated warehouse. “Can’t be cheap.”

“Tony has never given me a cent. I wouldn’t take it when he tried.”

“Easy, tiger, I certainly wasn’t implying that, just wondering how you make money if you don’t really dance anymore. I might need to get in on that soon.”

“Funny you should say that because I was thinking about it, but let’s leave that for another time. The first thing you have to do is talk to Sammy, and soon. I can’t promise I’d be able to stop at one kiss if you and her aren’t at least talking about the possibilities.”

Margaret laughed. “If that was one kiss, I’m not sure I could handle anything else you might want to do.”

“Just promise me you’ll call her today.”

“You got it,” Margaret said. “Now, I better get an Uber and go home.”

“I can take you, but either way, you can’t go in my towel.”

Margaret stood, pulled the towel off, and laid it over the back of the chair. “There.”

Jenny started cracking up. “Oh God, can you imagine the look on Lily’s face? I swear, that is the most uptight woman I’ve ever met.”

“I’m going to feel like a schoolgirl sneaking in with yesterday’s clothes on when I get home.”

In the end, Jenny drove Margaret home. On the way, they talked about how Jenny made money, a lot of money, and how she wanted to make a lot more with Maggie and Sammy.

Later, after looking up Jenny’s Twitter username: @Jenny8675309, and seeing someone of what Jenny had told her in the car, Margaret was reeling with nervous energy. She was excited about the possibilities, terrified Sammy wouldn’t be interested in her anymore, and sad about what would be ending. Jennifer in her life, one way or the other, was the one thing that brought Margaret a sense of ease and comfort.

Margaret sat on the end of the bed, holding the envelope from Sammy. Jenny already told her so much, and Margaret assumed it would be the same stuff Sammy found out, so there wasn’t any reason to open the envelope or any reason not to.

She tore the envelope open and removed a piece of paper. As Margaret unfolded it, she immediately recognized the big scrolling handwriting that Sammy used, and it made her smile.

Jennifer, AKA Jenny, is an exotic dancer.

As @Jenny8675309 on Twitter she has over half a million followers, and she has an Onlyfans account.

Sammy had drawn shrugging shoulders before, So what?

Here’s the important part, Jenny is from Tyler, Texas, less than a hundred miles from where we grew up. She might not just look like your sister. See if she will do a DNA test.

Sammy.

P.S. I may not have a mansion, but I’ve never stopped loving you and hoping one day you’ll come back to me.