Chapter 1

She didn’t see it coming. She couldn’t have. It came out of the blue. Out of thin air. Unexpected, unpredicted, improbable, and it just didn’t make sense.

“Jennifer, I’m sorry. You OK? I just think you’re wonderful and wanted to know if you’d go out for dinner and a movie with me. Maybe for a sip afterwards, just to talk. Are you OK, Jennifer?”

“Yes, ma’am. Of course. You just caught me off guard a bit, that’s all. Sure. It sounds wonderful. May I be tacky and ask how this works? I’ve never done this before.”

“Never been asked out by a woman, huh?”

“No, Marcie, I’ve never dated at all. I was too busy in school, and since I started here, it’s all I can do to keep up.”

“I know, and that’s why you need a break. Please? Tonight? You ride the bus, right?”

“Yes. It stops at the corner south of the plant.”

“I know Jennifer. I’ve seen you getting off and walking up the walkway on this side and waiting on the other side for it to arrive and take you away. Jennifer, I really am sorry, but I’ve been watching you, and trying to work up the nerve to ask you out for quite some time. I was afraid you’d think ... I was afraid...”

“What, Marcie?”

“Maybe I was too old, or not your type, or a woman. I’m sorry. I’ll...”

“No, Marcie, I said it sounds wonderful. I happen to think you’re a beautiful woman, but I’m wondering now, ‘Why me?’ What do I have that you think...”

“You’re sweet, hardworking, quite cute, pretty even, and to be honest, doll, I love your voice and your legs. There, I said it. Your voice makes me tingle, and your legs are gorgeous. You’re young enough to wear those miniskirts and get away with it. I’m infatuated with you and just a touch envious. More than a touch. Enough. We need something to talk about tonight. Is tonight OK?” Jennifer nodded. She smiled. She reached out for Marcie’s hand and squeezed a bit. “Good. I was quickly losing my nerve. Thank you, Jennifer. Thank you for letting me have this chance. I’ll come by on my way out and walk with you if you don’t mind.”

“Gosh, no. I’d love that, Marcie.”

“I’ll be with your people upstairs until five. That’s when you get off, isn’t it?”

“Yes, ma’am. I look OK like this?”

“Scrumptious, doll. Trust me. I’ll take you home to change if you want, but to be honest, you look very nice right now.” Marcie looked down at Jennifer sitting in her chair, at her desk, in her little T-top and mini. The darker knit of the pantyhose panty was just visible on the side of her upper thigh. She was Venus to Marcie. Her high heels were classy little pumps, four-inch, round toed, and just right for the office. The perfect woman.

For four months now, Marcie had watched, waited, listened, thought, and now approached the subject of her ardor for a date. A chance to talk and get acquainted. A chance to not be alone. A chance to share her world with someone she cared about. She wanted that someone to be Jennifer.

Marcie and her sister owned a business that needed parts that Jennifer’s company made for them. She had spent at least one, and sometimes two days a week there for the last four months. Jennifer was the production manager’s secretary and of course, was in the path of Marcie’s travels. Marcie saw Jennifer at the office, and really was intrigued, then seeing her at the bus stops, walking in her skirts, dresses, and heels, just fell head over heels in lust with the poor girl.

Hired fresh out of business school after a job fair interview, the twenty-one-year-old Jennifer had been in her position for about a year, and was a favorite of her manager, and those above him. Never late, never asked twice, always had answers, and sharp. Very sharp. Sharp enough to know that a woman who could have any woman, or man for that matter, she wanted, just asked her out on a date. That same woman complimented her in ways no one ever had. Interesting.

Five o’clock couldn’t come fast enough, but since they were busy with the manufacture of the gadgets for Tolson Industries, it went pretty quick. At five-oh-five, as Jennifer was shutting her computer down and getting her purse out, a hand touched her shoulder. She flinched with surprise.

“Sorry, doll. I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Marcie Tolson said.

“Just startled, ma’am. Not frightened. Not frightened at all. I’m sure I will be soon, but not yet.” She giggled, making Marcie smile broadly. “You have a pretty smile, ma’am. It makes you look warm, yet regal. Oh, God, that didn’t make sense.”

“It did, thank you. Now, stop. Come. Let’s go. I want to get to know Jennifer tonight.”

They walked out together, with many eyes watching. A few smiled. A lot of people loved Jennifer and were glad to have her there at work. She was an amazingly effective person to have in that position. A few frowned. While ‘loved’ is a very strong term, everyone liked Jennifer and they were all glad to have her there at work. No good could come of her having a relationship with the owner of one of their customer companies. No good at all. That Tolson lady was going to take their department secretary. Yes, they were happy for both of the people involved, but if they got another secretary like the last one, well, that just wouldn’t do.

Suffice to say that most everybody thought Agnes Wilson was a ‘B’ word. (A real bitch). Power, power she thought she had, as the manager’s secretary, went to her head. She didn’t really have any power, and when advised of that fact by the manager, she became impossible to be around and finally left. Jennifer was the opposite. She felt that as the manager’s secretary, she had to take care of him AND all his people. They loved her, in that employee to manager’s secretary who bent over backwards to make sure they had everything they needed, kind of way.

They did not love her the way Marcie Tolson thought she loved her. Marcie Tolson was head over heels infatuated with this younger woman and wanted her for her very own.

Marcie was NOT inexperienced and knew EXACTLY what she wanted. She wanted a kind, beautiful, young, smart, caring (oops, that fits in with kind) girl she could love and grow old with, and lavish gifts, love and fun times on. That was what Marcie wanted. She saw that in Jennifer.

She’d had a boyfriend, then a girlfriend, in college, but neither worked out. She did decide, though, that even though she needed a husband, that she was in fact a lesbian. She felt that for her to be successful, in the business of manufacture, that was needed. A male partner so that the world saw her as ‘normal’. Her father did not agree, but let her make her own decisions, with one caveat: There had to be a full prenup preventing any spouse of either one of them from taking any part of her and her sister’s ownership of the family company away from them.

So, Daddy put together a team of lawyers, his, and one from the outside, known to be a shrewd architect of untouchable contracts, to draw it up. Once it was available, Marcie was told to press on, but Daddy didn’t care if she brought a woman home to dinner, or a man. Neither did Mamma. That was all on her. If she felt she needed to be married to a man, then by golly, do it. She would need help someday to provide them any grandchildren, but marrying a guy for that was ... Whatever. He said, “It’s your life, baby. We love you. Above all else, remember that.” He also said, “Make sure he’s worth the trouble. According to your mother, few of us are. I may not be one of them. Jury is still out.” Her mother just laughed out loud at that. So did Marie.

Marie was her Irish twin little sister. Eleven months apart, but Marie didn’t want a man. She didn’t want a woman. Little known to anyone but Marie, Marie wanted Marcie. Well, Marcie and to take over the company from Daddy. That was pretty important, too, but she bided her time. Marcie would be there for her one day and she’d share. One day...

Once they were out in the parking lot, Marcie took Jennifer’s things and set them in the back seat, handing her date into the passenger side front. “Jennifer, do you have any place you don’t want to go, or anywhere you especially DO want to go? I don’t want to make you feel trapped or force you into anything. I want us to have fun.”

“Marcie, thank you for this, first and foremost. You’ve made me feel like a princess.” Marcie looked at her a bit funny. “I’m sorry, but it’s true. I’ve not dated. I’ve never had a boyfriend, or a girlfriend. I’ve had friends, but not close. You know, in school. I was the outcast, for some reason, to most of my classmates. I never understood why, but here you are, a Queen in every sense of the word, asking me out on a date. Never mind. No, I don’t have any place I would not feel good going to with you. There is nothing I won’t eat. There are things I haven’t tried, and I’m afraid of sushi and calamari. And, one other thing you may not have noticed, Marcie, is that I talk too much when I’m nervous.” She giggled. Marcie grinned.

“Good to know. No sushi or squid on the first date. Gotcha. And when you ramble, you’re nervous. I’ll keep that in mind. Hopefully you won’t mind me keeping you on pins and needles all night long and making you a bundle of nerves, because it was your voice that drew me to you first. I love the sound of your voice. It literally sings to me. The second or third time I came in and you looked up at me and said, ‘Good Morning, Mizz Tolson, if I can be of any help while you’re here, please let me know,’ I almost wet my pants. Sorry. That was crude. Jennifer, you thrill me. Come, let’s have a good little dinner and go see a movie. You game, or would you rather go listen to some music and maybe dance?”

“Marcie, I don’t want to be a brat, or demanding, or anything. You seem to know what you want, and it seems to me like you may know what I want. So far, you’ve been right. I do want to get to know you better. I admire you. I think you’re gorgeous. You pick. There is really nothing you could decide that I’d be against, save, maybe swimming in the lake. It’s a bit chilly for that. Movie, music and dancing, a drive around that lake, just about anything. I don’t want to go shoot rats at the dump like my one friend’s little brother used to do, either, but...”

“Got it. Jennifer, if I treat you well, and we get along, do you think we can do this again, this weekend? Next week?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Jennifer reached out, subconsciously, then laid her hand over Marcie’s on the shifter. “I think I’d like that. A lot.”

“Movie tonight. Dancing this weekend. Worry about next week, next week.” She giggled.

That made Jennifer smile. Jennifer thought to herself, ‘This is nice. Why have I never felt like this?’ Then she remembered, she’d been around a few people, but they’d never approached her before like this. Was it because Marcie approached her, or because the person that approached her was Marcie? That would take some thinking on to get figured out, but right now, she knew that the feeling of her hand on Marcie’s on that shifter was warm and had almost a buzzy feeling. Fluttery. She felt it in her stomach, too.

They ate dinner at a nice little Italian restaurant downtown. Marcie seemed to know a few of the staff and got several smiles. Jennifer realized then that she wasn’t the only one Marcie treated well. She was a good person and people saw that. Just more reason to be glad she was there, hoping this was more than a one-night thing like she’d heard about from others. One night, one date, a little romance, and off to another. Jennifer had nothing to compare it to, but she’d read columns and heard about things in the break room. Like that guy Barry in shipping. He’s tried to date every girl in the company, but the few that Jennifer knew that had been out with him, either never got another call, or told him not to bother. She thought about that for a minute. Opposites. OH! OH MY! The ones he made it with he didn’t call back, upsetting them, and the ones that didn’t want to do anything with him told him not to try again. Oh, how funny. Life is full of surprises. ‘I wonder how this will go,’ Jennifer thought.

“Jennifer, are you OK? You look lost in thought.”

“Marcie, we’ve already decided on a second date, haven’t we?” Marcie nodded. “Can I assume that means that we need to be completely honest with each other, in the hopes that this isn’t just a fling, and that something may grow from our being together?” Marcie smiled and nodded again, taking Jennifer’s hand and squeezing it. “I was thinking about Barry down in shipping and how some girls got upset that he didn’t call back and some got upset that he called at all and didn’t want him calling back. It was just my mind going off in circles, but Marcie, I want you to call again. I do.”

Marcie smiled at her. A big full smile, true and sure, she was a happy woman. Marcie paid the bill and after Jennifer visited the little girls’ room, they walked out to the car.

“Jennifer, stop. Look at me. Tell me again that you want me to call you, again. Please.”

“Marcie, I do. I want to go out again. It’s not just me. Other people see you as a nice person, too. I really do want to get to know you better.”

Their lips met. Marcie took the back of Jennifer’s head and pulled it into her making the kiss an explosive event for both of them.

“Oh, God, Marcie. What was that? I touched you in the car and my hand buzzed. I kiss you out here in the parking lot and my lips burn. My stomach turned over. What the hell?”

Marcie held her, pulling Jennifer’s head onto her shoulder. “Good. I’m glad it wasn’t just me. That would be scary. I don’t want to do this alone. Jennifer, I think we have something. I really do. I want you to help me prove, or disprove it, but we’ll only know with time. Time together, and time apart, but I, for one, want to spend lots of time together.” She pulled Jennifer’s head up, held her cheeks in her hands and kissed her, on the lips, the nose, and the forehead. “Come on, little one. Let’s go check out this crazy broad in this Peppermint thing.”

The theater had loveseat recliner seating which was a boon to both of them. Jennifer felt comfortable with Marcie, and Marcie wanted to get comfortable with Jennifer. Admittedly, Marcie knew she was being a bit naughty.

“Marcie, I have no story. Grew up, parents died in a car wreck when I was 16, the state let me have my emancipation and I put myself through business school with what I was left by the insurance companies. You see all that I am or have ever been. Please tell me about the woman who asked me out. The woman who tried to electrocute me in the restaurant parking lot with a kiss that you cannot deny, had emotion in it.”

They were 45 minutes early for the movie, so they talked. Marcie bared her soul and laid her past out for Jennifer. When they were done, it was up to Jennifer. Either she wanted what was left of Marcie Tolson, or she didn’t, but there was little of importance left unsaid.

She heard about the boyfriend and girlfriend in college. All the meaningless, but fun dates. She learned about her husband, and how just after they were married he turned into a nasty man. He knew about and signed the prenuptial agreement, a legally binding contract, unaffected by matrimonial ties. What he didn’t know was the agreement was not with Marcie so much as it was between him and her father and her sister. When he came to the realization that if he wanted to make it in life, he had to do something about it, himself, on his own, and not rely on his trophy spouse, he fell into depression, anger, and the torment those cause when fueled by alcohol and a few minor drugs.

It seems that Marcie did not find a man, so much as the man found her. She thought they courted and he won her love. She found out later, from him, as well as a couple of his friends, that he singled her out and let it happen so that he could become part of the Tolson fortune. It wasn’t Marcie he wanted, it was Marcie’s money. She thought back, she told Jennifer, to the times when they made love. She thought they were making love. He was absent. He wasn’t there for her. He finished and was done. It all came back. Again.

Jennifer pulled a weeping Marcie onto her breast and stroked the older woman’s long wavy beautifully full red hair. Marcie was gorgeous, to the extreme. A goddess, by any measure. As Jennifer petted Marcie’s head, she whispered nothings to her. “It’ll be OK. It will. You’ll see. Marcie, trust me, you are better than that. You’ll be fine.” The sobbing stopped. The teasers began. Not even knowing she was going to do it until it was done, Jennifer kissed the tears from Marcie’s face. She took a napkin and dabbed. “You’ll be fine, Marcie. I’ll see to it.” The words came out before she knew it, and then a glow happened inside her. Jennifer knew then. She was in love with this damaged woman. She wanted her for her own.

She thought to herself, ‘I read books. This is fiction happening as fast as it can run. In real life. Oh, My God, I’m in love with a woman. I am. Oh, Shit.’ She kissed Marcie’s forehead, then pulled her into a cuddle to watch the teasers and get ready for the Jennifer Garner movie. Jennifer really liked her in Alias. Maybe this would be good, too.

They were entranced throughout the entire movie. Squeezing hands, wrists, legs, arms, pulling each other together in comfort. Then it was over. Not bad. A shoot ‘em up starring a good actress and a bunch of dead bad guys. OK.

“Jennifer, thank you for this evening. It’s been great. Sorry for breaking down on you. That was embarrassing.”

“Promise not to laugh?” Marcie nodded. “I fell in love with you when I wiped your tears away. You need to ask me out again, or I will go find a tall bridge.”

Marcie laughed.

“You do understand that you promised, right?” Marcie nodded. “And that the first promise you made to me, you broke, right?” Marcie nodded, then pulled Jennifer to her for a scorching heart wrenching kiss that made the broken promise fade into history. “OK, then. We’ll work on the next one later.” They both laughed and kissed again. “Take me home, my Queen. Take me home so that I can go to the castle tomorrow and help make parts for you. Marcie, you will ask me out again? Please?”

“Yes, precious. Saturday night, I’m taking you dancing. If my silly sister wants to double date, do you mind?”

“Not at all. I need to meet her. I need to meet everyone. Marcie, I’m falling in love with you. I hope you can see that.”

“Likewise, little one. Likewise.”

Marcie took Jennifer home, walked her to the door, and kissed her goodnight in a manner to wake the dead. The electrical connection came back, and the moans caused by each of them were probably heard in the next door and across the hall apartments. They squeezed hands, and once inside the door Jennifer heard Marcie walk away. “Wow”, was all she could say. She said it to herself. Out loud. “Wow.” She never thought in a million years a date would affect her like that. Man, woman, monster, sci-fi hero, whatever, she never thought anything or anyone would have this big of an effect on her.

The next day, she was quizzed, questioned, queried, and asked. They, the combined masses, wanted to know everything. Was she leaving? Was Mizz Tolson nice? Was Jennifer off the market? Was she a lesbian? That was Barry. Always knew the right thing to say. “Barry, I don’t think so, but you’re not going to be the one to find out.” Barry didn’t like that. He said a couple unkind words and walked off, letting the hen party continue. Barry wanted her. He wanted to have a shot at her. Like all the others, after that, he couldn’t care less, but he’d always wanted to ‘do’ Jennifer.

After everyone got to work, with no more said than asked, Jennifer thought about Barry. He wasn’t a nice person. She could tell by the way he asked that question. She hoped that was the end of it, but the look, as he walked away ... She didn’t know for sure.

That weekend, she did know something for sure. She was fed well and danced through her soles. Figuratively. Marcie was a good dancer, and everything Jennifer remembered from school came back, and still wasn’t enough, but Marcie giggled, and they tried again. She was fun. When Jennifer flubbed, they tried again and had a ball. Jennifer was hugged, kissed, and two stepped into submission. She was in a very, very good place in her life at that point.

“Jennifer, if I promise not to be naughty, will you come home with me? Stay in the guest room, I just want to be with you. Talk to you. Be with you. I do. Really.”

“Yes, Marcie. If you promise. I understand. I want it, too, but I’m so new to this. Please be careful and take it easy with me. Barry scared me the other day. I just don’t know. I’m afraid of what might happen between us, and I’m afraid if I’m too afraid, it won’t happen, and I just don’t know. Our kiss the other night was electric. Our kiss tonight when you picked me up was unfathomable. I rehearsed that word. I’m bad. It was phantasmagorical. I just ... I’m afraid. I’m just a little girl in some ways. Yet, I’m a woman. Marcie, if you snapped your fingers, I’m afraid I’d run and fetch a ball or something. It’s unreal. I don’t want to be controlled, but I have no control over this when we’re together. Uhm, Marcie?”

“Yes, dear?”

“You broke the last promise.” Jennifer smiled. Marcie laughed.

“Not this time, hon. You’re too precious to break this promise. That promise was ... Impossible. Tall bridge and all. This promise ... It’s too important. Way too important. I cherish you. I will cherish you.”

“Take me home,” Jennifer said to the woman. The woman she knew she was falling, if not already fallen, for. They danced to their table, finished their drinks, and walked to the car, hand in hand. “Marcie, do you have something I can wear in the morning so I don’t go home in this dress?”

“Yes, darling. Plenty. Let me be bad and dress you. Please.”

“OK.” Smiles were shared.

They drove to Marcie’s house, a big one, in the suburbs. Marcie showed her around. It was pretty big for a single woman.

“Marcie, did he ever live here?”

“No, honey. I sold that house right after I kicked him out of it. This is just me, all me, and if I have my way, a pretty little blonde girl.”

“Marcie, what’s her name?”

“Her name is Jennifer Lynn Brock. If I have my way. We’ll see. She may not like big houses with pools and screened in porches. She may want an apartment on the top of the Mayfair Building.”

“No, apartment life is not for her. She’d rather mow a lawn. Really. She’s a down to earth girl, Marcie. Really. This is nice.” She took Marcie’s hand. “Me, Marcie? Seriously? Me?”

“Yes, honey. You. If I can see my way to have you love me, yes, baby. You.”

They hugged in the kitchen, then kissed. “Marcie, don’t send me to the guest room. Please.”

“I won’t, if you don’t want me to, baby. Come, let’s sit and have a drink and talk.”

They did, sharing some wine, and talked until two in the morning. They talked more about Marcie’s failed marriage, her days in school, and her mother and father, and how accepting and loving they were, even when Marcie did stupid things. They talked about Marie, too. Jennifer wanted to meet Marie, so they set that up for next weekend. They both thought it would be OK to ‘meet the ‘rents’, as it were.

“Jennifer, come. Let’s go to bed. I want to wake up with you in my arms.” Jennifer’s sigh was telling. Very telling. She was lost in this woman, and was probably, at the click of some fingers, going to go fetch a ball for someone.

“Yes, ma’am. That sounds good. Really, really good.”

Marcie pulled Jennifer to her, unzipped her dress, then set her down, pulled her shoes off, then removed her stockings, one by one, then the garter belt, leaving the panties on. And the matching bra. She went to her dresser, pulled out a long T-shirt and tossed it to Jennifer. “I’ll give you a dollar if you let me take your bra off, so you’ll be comfortable in that t-shirt.” She smiled.

Jennifer giggled. “I’d give you change. God, Marcie, what you do to me.” She turned so Marcie could unhook it, then turned so she could take it off and down her arms.

She inhaled sharply. “Jesus, Jennifer, your breasts are perfect. You are so pretty. May I?”

“Please.”

Marcie cupped them in her hands. They were perfect. B plus, C minus, no hint of any sag, just absolutely perfect. “Turn for me, little one.” Jennifer turned. Her ass was just as gorgeous. Bubble butt, firm, smooth, save the panties. “May I, Jennifer? Please?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Marcie cupped her buttocks in her hands and squeezed gently, rubbed, and fondled a bit. “You are so attractive, so beautiful. Thank you so much for giving me a chance. I really want to be the one you love, Jennifer. I do. I want you to love me. I want this. Maybe too much, so if I pressure you or make you uncomfortable, honey, you need to tell me. I want this to work. Let me know if I’m screwing it up. Please, do that for me, honey.”

“I will, Marcie, but I can tell you, I’m there, too. It’s not the house. It’s not the car. It’s your touch. Your kiss. Your words. Your breath on my neck. Your tears on my lips. But, I will. If I don’t feel right, you’ll be the first to know. Marcie?” Marcie nodded. “Bed. No ... Bathroom, then bed.” They both laughed at that. The snuggle was a fit. A perfect fit. Marcie spooned behind the younger girl, hands held on Jennifer’s tummy. So comfortable, that was all they remembered.

Morning came to someone rubbing Marcie’s tummy. A little hand on a little arm on a little girl with blonde hair and bright eyes. “Good morning, my queen. If I gave you a dollar, could I make you breakfast?” They laughed. Jennifer handed her a cup of coffee.

“And I will give you change. You been snoopin’ around the kitchen, have you?”

“Yeah. I found enough to make you a little something if you’ll let me. I’d like to do that for you, Marcie.”

“Please, honey. Thank you. I’ll be out in a bit.” Marcie shook her head as Jennifer left the room. She thought, ‘I was falling, falling, falling. Nope! Fallen, fallen, thud. She’s a charm.’ She made it to the bathroom, did her morning thing and met her young girlfriend in the kitchen. “Kiss me, Jennifer.” They kissed and hugged.

“Sit, please, Marcie. I’m just doing some bacon, eggs and toast, but sit, please, and talk to me.”

Marcie sat, and sipped coffee.

“Marcie, I’m lost. Totally. I have feelings I’ve never felt. Ever. I’ve never had a boyfriend, or a girlfriend, or a steady, or, as I told you before, a date. You are my first. Please understand, that just means I have nothing to judge this on. But you have. I see you. The way you look at me when we meet. When you pick me up, when we kiss, when you held me in your arms last night. As wired as you are at work, always Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, last night, you exhaled on my shoulder and you were out. What was that? Do I make you calm? Soothed? Is that even a thing? I’m talking too much.”

“No, doll. You’re not. You are all that. I felt more comfortable last night when I fell asleep than I have since my Daddy rocked me when I was a girl. He’s going to love you. He is. We have work this week, but I’m taking you home to meet them and Marie on Saturday morning, and we can spend the weekend with them, if that’s OK.”

Jennifer nodded. “I don’t have any other plans. I never do. Maybe laundry. That’s the one constant in my life. Laundry.” They both, once again, laughed.

Marcie, in an effort to keep things from being serious, said, “I’ll give you a dollar if you’ll let me do your laundry!”

Amid the giggling and laughter, breakfast finally got done and eaten. Marcie was impressed, Jennifer was glad, and they spent a few minutes together as a team cleaning up the kitchen. A hug and a kiss, a long, genuine kiss, signaled the end of that chore, and the start of the day.

“If I dress you, will you go to church with me, little one?” Jennifer nodded. She couldn’t believe the inside of the closet. They went to church in matching silk princess cut dresses, one in green, Marcie’s, and one in blue, Jennifer’s. Stockings and heels finished the ensembles.

“Do you love me because we wear the same sizes, Marcie?”

“God, no, love, but it is handy when you’re away from home, isn’t it? I’m glad my shoes fit you, but your pumps from last night would have been fine. Anyway, you look absolutely charming. Take me to church, baby.”

Off they went, sitting together, near the front, on the outside of the outside pew. They had company. Friendly admirers. Lots of them. An entire family of them. Well, three, anyway. After the ceremony ended, and they were on the way out, a large man accosted Marcie, picking her up and hugging her.

“Hi, pumpkin, I love you. Who is your friend here?”

“Daddy, this is Jennifer, and I think...”

“No, sweetie, don’t say it. Just let it happen. Don’t say anything.” A woman, smaller than small, said that. It was Marcie’s mother. A cute little woman not five feet tall and thin. Very thin.

“She is very pretty, though, sis. Hi, Jennifer. I’m Marie. I’m so glad to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you. From sis, from Daddy, from Mamma. It’s like I’m getting it from all angles, and now, here you are. And yes, I agree. You are a pretty one. Do you have plans, or can you stop by for lunch today?”