Chapter 153

February 25, 2018

Dear Ms. Diary,

We needed to make up for missing a pitch workout last week, so we called around and got a game planned for early afternoon. I called Civia.

“Hey, Girl. Game at the pitch at 1:30 if you can make it.”

“Ooh, I think that’ll work. My parents were going to chance leaving me here by myself, but I thought I’d call you guys and see if you had anything going. A game is better than I’d hoped.”

“Well, if you’d want to come for lunch and hang until we head out, you’re more than welcome.”

She sounded a bit hesitant, then asked, “Could Maren join us for lunch?”

“Sure. Emma would be welcome, too, if she’s not doing anything.”

“Thanks. I’ll ask. I’ll come over around 10:30 since that’s when Mom and Dad are leaving.”

“It’s a date.”

Civia walked in the front door of the J and gave hugs all around, then said, “Beth, I hope you meant what you said, ‘cause Maren and Emma will be here at 11:15.”

Liya responded, “Cool. I still think it’s crazy the way we met Maren.”

“I was certainly surprised, but it’s worked out well. She’s really great, and it’s nice to have a good friend at school. She and Emma have become friends of the whole family. We had Friday dinner with them. Emma seems ... happier. Maren said her mom didn’t really have friends during that last marriage. I think she’s really fun. She won at Trivial Pursuit on Friday.”

I had Civia text Maren to have them show up at the W, as we were going to do quesadillas for lunch over there, and we headed over immediately to start the prep work. Lunch was fun and tasty. Dad’s three wives decided to ask Emma to join them on a jaunt around the fancy Old Town area, so Dad went with us to watch our game.

Both Hope and Rachel had existing plans, but just enough of the boys showed up so we could play 11-on-11. Gracey notched the goal of the game off a corner kick. She was on the other team, playing right back. One of the boys on her team sent the kick into the goal box, but Meka out-leapt Seamus for the ball, heading it outside the penalty box. Gracey timed it perfectly and half-volleyed a rocket into the upper-right corner. All of us girls – even those of us on the opposing team – wrapped her up.

Meka exclaimed, “Girl, that was gorgeous! If you’re going to keep doing things like that, could you save them up for when you’re on my team?!”

Seamus, Victor, and Jamaal joined us for ice creams and Dad offered to pay for everyone. Once we were seated, Victor took Gracey to task.

“If you’re gonna channel Civia like that, would you please beat some other goalie? Why do I have to have all the best goals scored on me?”

Gracey grinned at him, answering, “There’s just something about you, Victor.”

“Besides,” Civia added, “one of my good goals was when I was on your team.”

“True, but none of the others were!” He turned to Gracey again and finished with, “But that was stunning, Gracey. The pros couldn’t have done a better job. You freakin’ nailed it!”

“Thanks, Victor.”

Seamus followed that with, “I’ve practiced hitting half-volleys, quite a lot, and I’ve never nailed one like that. As Victor said, that was stunning.” He waited a half-beat, then finished with, “I’m sure glad I was in the middle of the goal rather than the right edge!”

There was much chuckling.

When we stood to leave, Gracey said, “Jamaal, Victor, Seamus, may I hug you?” They looked a bit stupefied at her request, so she added, “You guys have always been supportive of us, and you’re good guys. I’d like to consider you my friends, and I hug all my other friends, so...”

Jamaal smiled and stepped to her, and that began a long round-robin of hugs, with even Andy taking part. The three boys then thanked Dad again for the ice creams. Dad hugged all of us girls, then left as he was walking home. We girls hugged Katie, as she was staying to work a shift.

“You’re sure it’s okay for me to spend the night?”

Meka responded, “Girl, you’re welcome anytime, and I’ve been meaning to ask if you’re ducking us.”

She shook her head vehemently, saying, “I just ... I need to accept what you’ve all told me at face value. I just worry about wearing out my welcome.”

Liya replied, “That word ... anytime. It means ... any ... time. Come over whenever you want, stay as long as you want.”

Liya then smiled at her, and Katie responded, “All right. All right. I’ll be over after I stop at the house to get my school stuff. It’ll probably be after 9.”

We carted Brett, Lana, Brit, and Cera home, with everyone getting departure kisses in the Sprinter.

February 26, 2017

When we got home after the pitch workout, we took a group shower before dinner. The seven of us luxuriated a bit in the huge shower, using only six of the heads for the two duos and the triple, randomly selected as Meka and me, Liya and Gracey, and Rhee, Heather, and Kim.

Kim quietly said, “Rhee, do you want to share washing her pretty, little titties? You could wash one and I could wash one.”

“I’m ... very good with that, but we still must do it from behind.”

“Of course. We need to have our bodies tucked up tight into her back while we do it.”

“Oh, god,” Heather exclaimed, then much more sedately and with some feeling, said, “I really like how you think, Kim. I love you.”

That seemed to surprise Kim and cause a hitch in her breathing, but she recovered and replied, “I’m not sure how I feel about ... any of you, other than I like every one of you more than I’ve liked any girls but my original gang. I think I’m falling in love with Beth, and I doubt my falling for the others will be too long in occurring. However, I really love this ... this ... all this. As I told Beth, I’m in, all the way in.”

Heather intercepted Kim’s reach for the soap dispenser there in its little cubbyhole, stepping into her path, putting her hands on Kim’s hips, then reaching up and kissing her for about 15 seconds. As Heather stepped back, I could see Kim’s eyes were closed and she wore an expression something like bliss.

“These girls sure can kiss. Can’t they, Kim?”

Silence met Meka’s question, but Kim slowly opened her eyes and responded, “I’m not sure they’re great, technique-wise, not in Lana’s league, but they definitely know when a soft, loving kiss is called for, and they do those very well.” As tears began to well in her eyes, she tilted her head back and talked at the ceiling, “Oh, god. I sometimes can’t believe how ... wonderful this is.” She tilted her head back down, looked at Meka, and said, “It’s fun when we want it. It’s loving when we need it. It’s always satisfying. Meka, I think ... I think you and I will do fine here. I think these girls provide us even more than our original gang ever did, and that gang was great.”

“Future lover, we’re more-complex people than we were, then, but your point is still valid, as these girls are the age we were back then. This is much of why I threw in with them so early on. I’m very happy that you’re recognizing the benefits this group gives us, gives all of us.”

“Meka, future lover, may I hug you?”

“You never have to ask. I’ll always accept a hug from you.”

The two of them stood under one of the shower heads, arms gently around each other, the right side of Kim’s face on Meka’s left shoulder, her forehead touching Meka’s neck, as they slowly turned as if dancing to a slow song, obviously lost in each other. My mind did happy cartwheels at the sight, and we left them to it. I joined Rhee and Heather to get our shower done. Kim and Meka were just beginning the buddy-wash system as the Go5 exited the shower. We had toweled ourselves dry and Heather and I were drying Rhee’s hair when the two lovers stepped from the shower. Heather and I immediately turned off the hair dryers.

“May I dry you?”

Meka nodded at Kim, who began lovingly drying Meka’s statuesque body. From a kneeling position after she had dried Meka’s feet, she looked up at her.

“I love you, Meka. This is the moment. I recognize it. I want you for all time ... lover.”

Meka held her right hand down for Kim, pulled our lovely blonde future sister-wife to her feet, gently took the towel from her hand, then began drying Kim. The Go5 moved the hair-drying endeavor and other post-shower activities to the bedroom, quickly finished drying Rhee’s hair, dressed in skimpy clothes, and headed to the W after texting Celeste a cautionary note and leaving the two lovers a handwritten one.