Chapter 7

Janet sat at her desk. Manipulating her keyboard and mouse she started a job to upload data into the fulfillment tracking system. She reached for her handbag, removed a tube of Rolo candies, peeled back the foil and popped one in her mouth.

Her cell phone rang. She dug it from her purse and answered it.

“Hello, stranger.”

“Jill. Long time no call.”

“I wanted to know how you’ve been. It has been a long time since we talked.”

“Over a year. It’s been crazy. Eva’s ex is in prison.”

“Prison?”

“Didn’t you see all the news about Robert Wells? That’s Eva’s ex.”

“Holy shit.”

“And, we’ve bought a house.”

“A house? Where?”

“In the Boyland Park neighborhood.”

“Boyland Park? Why on Earth would you buy a house there? The last time I went through there it was nothing but boarded-up crack houses.”

“How long ago was that, and what on Earth were you doing there?”

“Maybe ten years ago. I remember taking the wrong exit on the freeway and ending up there. I was scared shitless ‘til we found our way back to the freeway.”

“It’s changed in ten years. You won’t recognize it. The places are all refurbished and cleaned up. We bought there because we could afford it. It’s a good ground-floor opportunity.”

“Sounds like you’ve been busy.”

“Jill -- what’s really on your mind?” Janet asked. “When you call out of the blue it means only one thing.”

“I ... I was wondering if we could get together this weekend. Kenny’s taking Brian to some father-son retreat and...”

“Out of the question, Jill. I’m in a stable relationship now.”

“I remember the last time we talked you said you’d ask Eva about a three-way.”

Janet chuckled. “I was being facetious.”

“Do you mean you haven’t asked?”

“No, I haven’t asked. I know what her answer would be.”

“Would it really hurt to ask? I’m getting desperate, Janet. If I had balls they’d be blue.”

“You need to find a new girlfriend, girlfriend.”

“Yeah? Where? You know I can’t go cruising the clubs.”

“Why not look online? Check out the dating sites ... or Craigslist in the W-for-W category.”

“Haven’t you heard the horror stories about Craigslist? The people being jumped because they thought they were buying an iPod?”

“You’re not buying an iPod, Jill.”

“Maybe you could set me up?”

“All the eligible girls I know aren’t eligible because they’re already in relationships.”

“That brings me back to you, girlfriend. Can’t you at least ask?”

Janet sighed. “All right, Jill. I’ll broach the subject. But I know what her answer will be.” She cancelled the call, picked up the roll of Rolos, peeled off two more and ate them. Locking her fingers behind her head she watched a progress bar inch its way across her screen.

Eva poked her head in the office. “About ready?”

“Almost. As soon as this is done.”

Eva spotted the Rolos on the desk. “What are these?”

“Something to keep my blood sugar up,” Janet replied. “Otherwise my hands start shaking.”

“You don’t like chocolate ... and this isn’t even good chocolate.”

“I’ll be along shortly,” Janet replied and stuffed the Rolos back into her handbag.

Her computer job finished and Janet logged off her desktop computer. She picked up her bag and headed for the reception desk. “Okay,” she said to Eva.

Eva picked up her handbag. Together they headed for the coat closet in the break room and then to Eva’s blue Civic.

“I had a call today from Jill,” Janet said.

“Who’s she?”

“She’s that bisexual friend I told you about -- the one who’s married but we’d get together from time to time.”

“I recall ... vaguely.”

“Jill’s super horny for some girl-girl action.”

Eva turned and regarded Janet. “Are you asking my permission to go spend time with her?”

“No. That’s not what I had in mind.” Janet watched landmarks whiz past the passenger window. “I was wondering what you would think of inviting her into our relationship.”

Eva regarded her, her jaw dropped. “Are you thinking of a three-way? Absolutely not. I can’t believe you’d even suggest it.”

“I’m not suggesting it...”

“My God, Janet. Rob used to drop bombshells on me like that. I’d think I knew him and BLAM! He’d come up with some suggestion that made me think he was a total stranger. I never expected anything like that from you.”

“Calm down, Eva,” Janet replied. “I promised Jill I’d ask the question so I’m asking the question. I told her what I thought you’d say, but she insisted. What’s the harm of asking? The worst you can say is, no.”

“No -- the worst I can say is, get out of my life ... I don’t want to be associated with someone who’d suggest such a thing. That’s the worst I could say.”

“I didn’t think you’d say that.”

“All right -- I’m not saying that. But the answer is no.”

“Then, it’s a dead topic,” Janet replied. Her cell warbled. She dug it out of her bag and saw a text message from Jill. Did u ask?

Janet keyed in a response. I asked. Ixnay on 3way

She saw a reply. [sigh]

Eva and Janet embraced under the covers. “Hey, it’s all right,” Eva said soothingly and kissed tears from Janet’s cheeks. “All the waterworks. I’ve seen more tears from you in the past month than in the whole year before. You’ve never been the sort of girl who cries after sex. You laugh after it.”

“It’s hormones,” Janet replied, sniffling. “They’re raging. Oh, God, Eva -- that was the most intense, most loving orgasm I’ve ever experienced. It really felt like you and I became a single being.” She burst into tears again. “Oh, God, how I love you! I can’t believe it sometimes.”

Eva held her and stroked her shoulder until she calmed. “Okay now?”

Janet nodded. “I’m okay. It just hit me -- overwhelmed me. I couldn’t help it.” Eva rolled onto her back and Janet snuggled against her. “I still feel it.”

“Feel what?”

“Little aftershocks.”

Eva stroked Janet’s upper arm. “Janet...”

“Hmmm?”

“How do you know Jill?”

“I thought we agreed Jill was a dead topic.”

“I’m curious how you met her.”

Janet rolled onto her back and locked her fingers behind her head. “More true confessions? Jill and her family lived next door when Lahni was living with me. I don’t think she realized we were lovers. I think she thought we were simply roommates. She became friendly with us ... in a superficial way. She’d come over in the mornings for coffee and girl talk. Brian was three or four at the time and Jill was a stay-at-home mom. Kenny was in sales -- your basic road warrior and not home much. Jill and Lahni especially became close and when I started my travel, it was a comfort to Lahni to have a friend next door.”

“Did Lahni not work?”

Janet drew in a deep breath. “Lahni was a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. She also suffered from some sort of bipolar disorder. When she was up, she was a delight -- bubbly and creative ... sexy -- loads of fun. When she was in her depressive mode she was ... incapacitated. She would miss deadlines and lose work.”

“Oh, dear.”

“After two or three years, Kenny and Jill bought a house and moved out.”

“That left you alone with Lahni,” Eva remarked.

“Indeed. Lahni was a lot of work, actually,” Janet admitted, “a very high-maintenance companion. She needed more attention than I could give her. I remember coming home from a training gig. The bedroom door was closed and taped to it was a long, tear-stained suicide note. I burst in and found her asleep on her stomach on the bed. Beside her was a huge bottle of Tylenol. I woke her up and asked her how many she swallowed. She said she hadn’t taken any because she just wasn’t brave enough.”

“Oh, my goodness.”

“We decided it wasn’t working out and Lahni moved back to Hawaii to live with her parents. She’s back in town, now, with a new partner. I run into her from time to time. She’s on medication. Her depressions aren’t nearly as deep, but her highs aren’t as high either.”

“That’s too bad.”

Janet snuggled against Eva again and kissed her. “I’m happy you’re so stable and have such good mental health, Eva.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“Having gone through hell with Lahni, living with you is like heaven.”

Eva kissed Janet’s cheek. “We were talking about Jill, not Lahni.”

“Right. Shortly after Lahni split, I got a call from Jill. She discovered that Kenny was cheating on her and she wanted to leave him. She needed a roof over her head. I offered her shelter at the apartment. She put Brian in the guestroom and she was going to crash on the sofa. I had a bottle of Grey Goose in the freezer. We started doing shots. As Jill says, the Grey Goose loosened her tongue and it loosened my inhibitions. Jill told me her life story and I listened. By the time she was done dumping on me I was drunk enough to make a pass at her and she was drunk enough to catch it. It came as a shock to her that I was a lesbian, and an even bigger shock that she was bisexual. She hadn’t suspected either.”

“She was like me -- in denial about certain thoughts and feelings.”

“Maybe. The next morning we performed a post-mortem on the night before, and we decided we liked what we did. Jill slept in my bed from that point forward. She and Brian lived with me for six months. Then, Kenny got dumped by his mistress and came crawling back, begging Jill for another chance. She and Brian moved back to their house, but Jill and I would get together for trysts whenever we could manage. If Kenny was on the road and Brian had a sleepover ... so did Jill. Then the economy tanked and Kenny spent a lot more time at home. Our trysts dried up. In fact, the last time was right before you fell into my arms. When it became clear that what you and I have is serious, I told her no more booty calls.”

“You cut her off, just like that?”

“You have to realize, Eva -- I didn’t sleep with Jill because I loved her. I slept with her because I craved her bod.”

“I thought you craved my bod,” Eva replied.

“Oh, I do. I also crave your mind and your love and how we connect with each other. I had none of that with Jill. It was attraction strictly on a physical, animal magnetism basis.”

“What’s she like?” Eva asked.

“Jill is Mediterranean, I think -- she has dark hair and an olive complexion. She’s petite but athletic -- she works out. She used to belong to a club and have a personal trainer. Do you remember us talking about watching women’s figure skating because we like to look at their legs?”

“Yeah.”

“Jill has legs like that -- like a figure skater’s. They’re solid and muscular ... shapely. Her whole body is like that -- toned and buff, but not too buff. She still has feminine softness. She’s not like those muscle-bound bimbos you think must be dosing on steroids. Don’t get me wrong -- I love your body, Eva. You’re sexy in a silk-stocking, cocktail dress, elegant way. Jill is sexy in a locker-room sort of way.”

“And, she wants a three-way with us?”

“She wants some girl-girl action. It’s my fault for mentioning a three-way. A year-plus ago when I told Jill there’d be no more overnights I rather flippantly suggested a three-way. I was joking, but it stuck in her head. That was before the depth of our commitment sunk into my thick skull.” She lifted up on one elbow and looked into Eva’s face in the dim light. “I want to make sure you understand that Jill is no threat to our love, Eva. None. Zero. Nada.”

“Oh, I understand.”

“Good.” Janet snuggled against her again.

“Have you ever done a three-way?” Eva asked.

“Never. I’m sure neither has Jill and I don’t even have to ask you.”

“Have you ever wanted to?”

“I have some curiosity,” Janet replied. “I’d like to figure out how to orchestrate something like that.”