Episode 16
Episode 17
Episode 18
Episode 19

Chapter 19

Getting Away

When Francis woke up in Adrian’s arms she looked over at the clock. When she saw it was only six she tried to go back to sleep but she was just too excited. She was ready to go. At six thirty she still couldn’t sleep and then she heard thunder, so she gently pushed out of Adrian’s arms careful not to wake her up and walked towards the living room. Tammy’s door was open and her room was still empty so she must have stayed the night at Faye’s. Francis went to the living room window and looked out then frowned. It was pouring rain. She felt Adrian’s hands on her waist but still jumped a little because she hadn’t expected her to be there. Adrian rested her chin on Francis’ shoulder.

            “So we’ll take your car instead of the bike which will probably be better than the bike anyway because we can talk to each other on the trip and we won’t be as tired when we get there.”

            “And if it rains the whole time we’re there?” Francis asked, a bit disappointed by the weather.

            “Then we’ll stay in our room and make love and just talk all day and it will still be wonderful because at least we’re getting the hell away from here,” Adrian said, and kissed the side of her throat. “I’ll make breakfast and you finish packing.”

            Francis nodded her excitement rekindled and as Adrian released her she ran off to finish packing. Realizing she could pack more because they were taking the car she got another bag.

            An hour later they were on the road and Adrian was driving because… well she liked to drive. Francis was just as glad because she would have been a nervous wreak driving through the pouring rain in rush hour traffic which they had hit because they stupidly hadn’t thought of it and waited an hour to leave.

            “I got you something,” Adrian said as they were creeping through the traffic.

            “Why?” Francis asked.

            “What do you mean why?” Adrian asked with a laugh. “Just because I wanted to.”

            “You don’t have to keep getting me things,” Francis said.

            “Oh yes, I’m just always showering you with things.”

            “Adrian, you bought me this car.”

            “Yeah, and look who’s driving it now. Besides, the car was Milly and Tammy’s idea. I wanted to get you something that was just my idea. Reach in my pants pocket.”

            “Honey, you already gave me that,” Francis said with a laugh, but she could see the bulge in Adrian’s pocket now and she reached in and fished the small box out.

            “What is it?” Francis asked.

            Adrian laughed at her, shaking her head. “Open it and see.”

            Francis opened the box. It was a gold wedding band. “But we have tattoos,” Francis said, pulling the ring out of the box.

            “I wanted you to have the real thing. It will slide under your tattoo so you can still see it. Read the inscription on the inside.”

Francis did, it said All my love, Adrian in letters so tiny she could hardly see them.        “I should have waited till we got to the hotel. That’s what I planned to do, but it was just burning a hole in my pocket. Now I’m ruining it.”

“No you’re not, baby. I love it,” Francis said.

“Give it to me.” Adrian held out her hand, and Francis put the ring between her finger and thumb where she obviously wanted it. “Now hold out your hand.” She did and Adrian put the ring on her finger. It was a perfect fit. “I’m not very good with words, but I am crazy about you, Franny.”

            “I love your words.” Francis leaned over and kissed Adrian’s cheek. “And I love you.”

“I love you, too, more than I can ever tell you.”

Francis held up her hand and looked. Adrian was right, the ring slipped right below her tattoo. “How did you know what size ring I wore?”

            “Your ring finger is just a little bit bigger than my pinky, so I just guessed. I have a good eye for things like that.”

            Of course she did; she was an artist. “Thank you, baby.” She leaned over and kissed her again.

            The traffic was starting to ease up and they were moving along at a little quicker pace. Adrian was frowning.

            “What’s wrong?” Francis asked.

            Adrian sighed. “I ruined it. I’m too impetuous. I had all these plans. I was going to give it to you tonight just before we went to bed. I had even sort of worked on this speech and then I just blow it and give it to you in the middle of a traffic jam on the freeway. What sort of memory is that?”

            “It’s a wonderful one. Baby, I love that you’re so impetuous, and any day of the week I’d rather hear just what’s in your heart than some speech you worked on,” Francis said. “I think giving me the ring in traffic will make a fantastic memory.”

Thirty minutes later they drove out of the rain. The countryside was wonderful—rolling pastures, pine forests, and mountains.

            Francis had started talking and hadn’t really stopped. She realized this when she looked over at Adrian and she was just grinning. “I’m sorry, I’m just rattling, aren’t I?”

            “I think it’s wonderful, Franny. I love that you’re so excited. I am, too. You know, I’ve never really been on any sort of trip before either,” Adrian said. “I could listen to you talk for hours. I love your voice, your laugh.”

            “Says the woman who claims to be no good with words.” Francis put her hand on Adrian’s leg. “We should totally do this more often. Just get the hell out of the city and way from everyone else. I just feel like more stress is leaving my body with every breath I take and you… I can’t even imagine what your stress must be like running Rhonda’s and taking care of the apartment building all the time. I did it for two weeks and well I didn’t want to say anything but it was really more than I wanted to try to handle.”

            “When you get used to it, it’s not that much work,” Adrian said.

            “But it’s just as much stress.”

            “Probably,” Adrian shrugged. “I can’t believe your parents went to Disney World and left you and your brother with a sitter. That is completely fucked up.”

            “Tell me about it. I think the most fucked up part was that neither of us for one minute even thought they’d take us. Like it was normal for parents to go to a theme park and leave their kids at home.”

            “Look, horses,” Adrian pointed out the window and slowed down. There was, too, an entire herd of them grazing in a pasture. “Harry had a horse for awhile, me and my cousins used to take turns leading each other around on his back. Wow!” Adrian said with an air of surprise.

            “What.”

            “A happy childhood memory. I didn’t know I had any of those.” She smiled at Francis.   

Milly had written till four in the morning, till she couldn’t keep her eyes open. Then she’d gone to bed and slept till one o’clock in the afternoon and not bothering to get dressed had gone right back to the computer. Ralph finally more or less insisted she pay some attention to him at about four so she threw on shorts, a sports bra, and a tank top, put on her running shoes, wrapped a dew rag around her head, grabbed Ralph and his leash and headed for Rhonda’s.

            She walked in and walked over to an empty table.

            “Milly, you know Adrian would give birth to monkeys if she knew you had that dog in here,” Jerry said, coming over to her table.

            “And you know that Adrian and Francis are out of town so… shut up,” she said with a smile. “I just want a grilled ham and cheese sandwich and water.”

            Jerry nodded and went to fill her order. Milly knew she had to get out and exercise because she had to work the next three nights. If she didn’t get enough exercise she wouldn’t be able to move the way she needed to, but all she really wanted to do was sit at her computer and write. Of course she was writing even as she set there, working the scenes out in her head. She petted Ralph’s head and he rubbed his head against her belly which she always thought was funny because it was like he was petting her, too, and she swore the puppy smiled at her. He was in that weird gangly stage puppies get in, but she still thought he was cute. A mother’s love she supposed.

            Jerry brought her breakfast, lunch, dinner—whatever the hell it was—and she ate it. Then she paid and headed for the park actually carrying Ralph there because she knew from experience that running around the park with her was about all his little puppy legs could handle.

            When they got to the park she put him down, took hold of the end of his leash and started to jog. It felt good to use her legs again after sitting so long at the computer. If only she could find a way to move around with the computer.

            Ralph was good about running beside her, but he got to panting fairly soon. It was hot today and after the rain the humidity was so bad she had sweat running all over her body so she stopped to do some stretching exercises while the puppy got a break. She didn’t mind the heat herself. The sweat was a bit annoying she wiped a hand down her face to get the sweat the dew rag hadn’t caught and wiped her hand on her shorts.

            Someone jogged past her and then jogged back. She didn’t look up, just hoped they’d go away. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with someone’s half-baked pickup lines whether they were male or female. She just wanted to jog around the park a couple of times with her dog then go home and get back to work.

            “Milly?”

            Milly sighed with relief and looked up at Tammy. “Oh thank God! I thought you were some perve.”

            “I am,” Tammy said with a huge grin.

            “Yes, but I meant one I didn’t know,” Milly said smiling back. “So where’s Faye?”

            “Work, besides you know you wouldn’t catch her out here in the heat jogging. She’s like the most not athletic person I know. You want to run with me?”

              “Sure,” Milly said, but thought she’d really rather just run alone so she could continue to write.

            She started running beside Tammy, which gave her a hell of a workout because Tammy took one stride for every two she took. Tammy didn’t even try to talk to her when she ran, so she was still able to work on her book.

            “I’ve got to let Ralph rest again,” Milly said, and stopped at one of the exercise stations along the trail. She pulled the bottle of water out of her pocket took a drink then poured some in her hand and gave it to Ralph. Then she started doing the exercise as Tammy just ran in place and Ralph took a break.

            “Why did you name him Ralph?” Tammy asked curiously.

            “Because when you guys first gave him to me he’d eat and then puke for about two days,” Milly said with a shrug. “So, did you kick Jan’s ass?”

            “Almost. I picked her up and slammed her into a wall. Faye wouldn’t let me kick her ass because of course she cares more about Jan than she does about me,” Tammy said then fell silent.

            “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

            “No… Well did you mean what you said that if I needed someone to talk to...”

            “Yes of course I did, sweety,” Milly said, but she really just wanted to crawl back into her own head.

            “Huge fight at the party. All sorts of Jan bull shit. I’d been gone three days. Blah, blah, blah. We get back to Faye’s place and we’re doing it and when she’s cumming she yells out Jan’s name.”

            “Ouch,” Milly said, pulling a face.

            “Yeah, and it’s not the first time, but last night… Well after all the shit you’d just think she would have been extra careful. It was just like a knife in my gut. She’s telling me that it doesn’t mean anything but,” Tammy stopped running in place and looked at Milly. “I think she always pretends I’m Jan.”

            “I doubt that seriously, Tammy. Things like that do just slip out.”

            “Did you ever do it to anyone?”

            “No, but I probably will. Eventually I’ll have another lover and when I do in all probability I will probably call them Marcella a lot, and it won’t mean that I’m pretending that they’re Marcella, just that I’m used to having sex with her.”

            “That’s completely different Milly, because part of you is always going to love Marcella, and that’s fine because of the situation. But… Faye shouldn’t be screaming out Jan’s name. She shouldn’t be with me and still be in love with Jan. I think… I think I need to end it with her.”

            “Is that what you want to do?”

            “No, I want Faye to quit loving Jan and just love me, but I don’t think that’s ever going to happen, and so I just need to let her go don’t you think?”

            “I think…” Milly stopped stretching. Did she really want to tell Tammy what she thought? Did she really even know what that was anymore? She looked at Tammy. There were dark circles under her eyes. She wasn’t getting enough sleep and she looked like she’d lost weight, too, and she really couldn’t afford to. “I think you deserve to be happy. I think you don’t need all this stress, and I think when it comes to stuff like this no one else can tell you what to do. I wish I had some answers for you, Tammy. I really wish I did, but I don’t. It’s easier for me to tell Faye what I think she should do because I think she’s an idiot to even think about giving Jan the time of day when she has someone as awesome as you obviously so devoted to her. You have to do what’s going to work for you, Tammy, and I really don’t know what that is. Hell I have enough trouble running my own life.”

            “I think you’re the bravest person I’ve ever known,” Tammy said. “I think you run your life just fine, but I need to run my own and quit pulling everyone else into my shit. I’m sorry we all keep putting you in the middle.”

            Milly didn’t know how to respond for a minute and then she said, “Tammy I was the one who pulled the conversation in the direction of your shit and I’m sorry. I don’t know how brave I am. I think I keep nosing into you guys’ lives because I don’t want to think about what I’m going to do with mine. Let’s just run and not think about the shit.”

            They jogged around the park in silence two more times. “That’s it, Tammy, I’m done in,” Milly said, trying to catch her breath.

            Tammy nodded. “Me too. You want a ride back to the house?”

            Milly laughed. “You drive a block to the park so that you can jog around it?”

            “Yes, you want a ride back?”

            “Well I don’t need it, mind you, but poor Ralph is done in.”

            They got in Tammy’s car and Milly drank what was left of her water as Tammy grabbed a bottle off the dash and downed it then made a face. No doubt it was hot. Milly smiled then looked at Ralph panting on the floor board. “I really need to think about bringing some little bowl with me if I bring Ralph so that he can drink properly.”

 Tammy nodded, trying to swallow the warm water in her mouth. She had drank half the bottle. She pulled her pocket knife from her pocket, cut off the top of the bottle—spilling water on herself in the process though it didn’t matter because they were covered in sweat and a little water wasn’t going to hurt anything.

            “Here give this to Ralph.” She handed it to Milly and Milly held it down for Ralph who drank it greedily.

            “Thanks, Tammy.”

            “I figured the puppy wouldn’t care that it’s piss warm.” Tammy started the car and the cool air started hitting her sweaty skin cooling Milly down instantly. Milly looked at Tammy’s face, her eyes traveling down her body to where her shirt was soaked through with sweat and the suddenly cold air had made her nipples pop. Milly looked quickly away her breath coming hard. She looked out the window while Tammy backed the car out and started driving back towards the house.

            “You all right?”

            “I’m fine,” Milly said. She looked back at Tammy and smiled. “It’s just… Well, you have really great boobs, and it’s been a long time for me.”

            Tammy blushed scarlet and Milly laughed. Then Tammy said, “You work in a strip club; you see boobs all the time.”

            “None I like,” Milly said.

           “You just like to make me blush.”

            “Well there is that, too,” Milly said. “You know, Tammy, I’m stuck in writer world, but I need to work out every day I’m not dancing, so if you want a running partner I’d love it if you could come get me when you go. Otherwise I won’t remember and I’ll be screwed come work time.”

            “You won’t make remarks about my boobs?”

            “No,” Milly said with a laugh.

            “Then I’d love to have someone to run with. I tried to get Francis to run with me but she bitches the whole way. Adrian’s always busy, and like I said Faye would rather take a beating than do anything that makes her work up a sweat.”

            When Tammy parked the car she got out, walked around, and opened Milly’s door for her. Milly stepped out and tugged on Ralph’s leash till he jumped out after her. She looked up at Tammy. “Why do you always do that?”

            “What?”
            “Get the door for me.”

            “I’m sorry.”

            “Don’t be sorry.” Milly looked up at Tammy thinking it was an awful long way to the top. “I just wondered why you did it.”

            Tammy shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t do it for anyone else and I never think about it when I do it for you. I just do it.”

            Milly nodded and started for the building wondering if there was anyone in the house Marcella wasn’t haunting.

It turned out it was only four hours to the ocean. When they’d first seen it Adrian hadn’t even tried to look for a parking lot or some turn out to stop, she’d just pulled over to the side of the road and she and Francis had practically run down to the beach. Now they were just standing on the beach looking at the ocean like a couple of awe-struck kids. Adrian reached out and took Francis’ hand, paying no attention at all to the other people on the beach.

            “No picture could capture the pure scope of it,” Adrian breathed.

            Francis squeezed her hand. “I bet you could paint one that would.”

            “No I couldn’t I don’t know that I’d even try,” Adrian said. “I’m glad I’m finally actually seeing it. You know what makes it better? That I’m seeing it with you.”

            “Yeah.” Francis leaned her head on Adrian’s shoulder. “You know what’s nice about neither of us ever having been anywhere or done anything? We’ll never run out of things that we can do for the first time together.”

            “Yeah. I want to get in it, don’t you want to get in it?”

            “Yes, but let’s wait till we get to the bed and breakfast. It has a private beach and we won’t have to worry about some redneck coming undone if we actually touch each other.”

            Adrian nodded and they walked back to the car.

            “I couldn’t paint that for the same reason I can’t paint you.”

            “What are you talking about? You’ve painted me twice.”

            “And they’re both wrong.”

            “You’re crazy,” Francis said, swinging her hand in hers. “Come on, let’s get to the…” she was obviously trying to remember the name of the bed and breakfast but gave up and said. “The hotel for really horny lesbians.”

            Adrian laughed and shook her head. “I don’t think that’s the name of the hotel but they’ll probably rename it after we’re there for a couple of days.”

It was a nice place right on the beach with a deck on the back and a small private beach front. Really just a huge Victorian house. But beautiful in its own right and clean and they had a nice-sized room with a queen-sized bed and their own bathroom.

            Hideaway on the Beach was the name of the place and it had huge palm trees all around it. They got there just as they were serving lunch and they immediately ushered them into the dining room after Francis and Adrian brought there things to their room and before they got to try out the bed. There where two other lesbian couples already there eating lunch. Adrian and Francis sat down and the same woman who had helped them with their luggage came running up to them.

            “I’m Janice,” the woman said, “and my partner's name is Phyllis. I really hope you’ll enjoy your stay with us. Today for lunch we have a choice of clam chowder and a chicken Caesar salad or lobster bisque and a crab salad.”

            “I want the lobster and crab,” Francis said.

            Adrian nodded at Janice. “That sounds good to me, too.”

            “We have iced tea and of course soda.”

            “Iced tea sounds good,” Adrian said. Francis nodded.

            Janice walked away and Adrian leaned close to Francis and whispered, “So why do they call it a bed and breakfast if they serve lunch and dinner, too?”

            “I don’t know.” Francis laughed. “It’s just sort of a treat not to be the one serving for a change.”

            Adrian smiled and nodded her agreement. Though she’d been out of the cafe for most of the two weeks she was painting the mural she’d been working at Rhonda’s’ a damn sight longer than Francis had. She saw the couple that owned the place standing at the kitchen door talking and looking over at her, and Francis did, too.

            “I swear to God Adrian Bar, if we have traveled half way across the state and run into anyone you have screwed I’m going to scream,” Francis said in a harsh tone.

            “They don’t look familiar.”

            “Which doesn’t always mean you haven’t fucked them,” Francis hissed. Adrian wondered just when Francis had gotten so possessive.

            “Aren’t you Adrian Bar?” the dyke sitting with her partner directly to their left asked.

            “Get ready. I’m going to do it,” Francis said.

            “Ah, yeah,” Adrian said carefully.

            “The artist?” And then she held up a newspaper and there was a picture of It’s Tme and a picture of she and Francis talking to Willard and Katie.

            It was the front page of the Shea City Times art and entertainment section.

            “Honey, look at that! You made the paper,” Francis said excitedly.

            “I didn’t even know the press was there,” Adrian said, just looking at the paper not quite knowing how she felt about it. After all she really just wanted to be somewhere with her wife where no one knew her.

            “This painting is amazing,” the dyke said, and her partner nodded her head in agreement.

            “Thanks,” Adrian said.

            “You should see it in real life. It’s brilliant,” Francis gushed.

            Janice brought their tea. “Dinner will be a minute. The painting rocks,” Janice said.

            Francis reached across the table and took her hand. “So what’s wrong with you?”

            “I… just wanted it to be us, Francis.”

            “It is, baby, and it will be. I sort of like being out with my famous wife.”

            Adrian sighed. “What do you want to bet Willard did some sort of press release. I sure didn’t talk to anyone.”

            “He loves you, Adrian,” Francis said. She held up her hand and looked at her ring. “I love you, and I love my ring, and don’t you dare make that face. We’re having a good time and it’s just going to get better and no one’s going to bother us.”

            Adrian smiled and nodded.

            “I want to get a copy of that paper,” Francis said. “You know what we should do? We should start a scrapbook of everything we do and all the important events of our lives…” And then she was just rattling again and everyone else just disappeared as Adrian listened to her.

            “Here you go,” Janice said, setting their food down in front of them. “I hope you enjoy it and if you don’t blame Phyllis; she’s the cook.”

            “It looks and smells great. Thank you,” Adrian said.

            It was good, too. As soon as they finished eating they went upstairs to get in their swim suits.

            As Francis was walking around naked with her suit in her hand, Adrian jumped across the room and tackled her to the bed. Francis smiled and made a play at trying to get away from her. “But I want to go swimming.”

            “It’s not good to go swimming right after you eat,” Adrian said.

            Francis smiled wickedly. “Well then you’re going to be in big trouble.” She grabbed Adrian’s head and stuck it between her legs.

The water was a little cool when they first got in, but they got used to it fairly quickly and were just enjoying swimming and playing together. One of the other couples came out after awhile but they mostly lay on the beach and as Francis reminded Adrian it was a big ocean. When they were completely water logged they got out and went to lay on the beach on a blanket they’d brought for that purpose. Francis lay back to just soak up the rays and then she could almost feel Adrian’s eyes on her.

            “What?” she asked not opening her eyes.

            “That’s a great suit.”

            It was dark blue, a color she knew Adrian liked, and it was French cut and only a one piece because of a two inch strap of material in the front that went from the bottoms to the top.

            “I’m glad you like it. I mostly bought it for you,” Francis said smiling, still not opening her eyes. She felt Adrian roll on her side beside her, then felt her hand on her stomach underneath that little strap of material. “Now what do you think you’re doing?”

            “Getting fresh.” Adrian breathed in her ear then she kissed her neck. “You don’t mind do you?”

            “Only if you let your hand go any further into my pants. This isn’t that private a beach,” Francis said. “Why don’t you go get some more sun block? I’m pretty sure it’s time to reapply. I’d do it but I’m just feeling too incredibly lazy.”

            “I wouldn’t want my baby to burn.” Adrian kissed her on the lips and then she got up and went towards the house. Francis wasn’t lying about feeling lazy. She felt like she could just go to sleep right there. Of course it hardly seemed fair to make Adrian go after the sun screen. After all, Adrian had such a dark complexion she wasn’t likely to burn.

            “I bet she fucks like a God damned machine,” a voice said.

            Francis shaded her eyes and looked up at the woman. “What?” she asked.

            “Your girl friend I bet she’s an animal in the sack.”

            “She’s not my girl friend, she’s my wife,” Francis said angrily.

            “My woman she’d like to get to know your woman better if you catch my drift and I wouldn’t mind a little alone time with you and…”

            Francis sat up and said, “Oh you’re fucking kidding me! You didn’t just proposition us less than ten seconds after Adrian went in the house?”

            “I’m sorry, we swap. I just figured…”

            “That if we weren’t into it I’d be less likely to kick your ass than Adrian? Don’t take this personally, but no, we don’t do that shit. And if we did, well that’s sort of like a guy driving a fucking Hyundai asking the guy in the Rolls to swap cars. Like trading Champaign for beer. Steak for a hamburger.”

            “All right! Gee all you had to say was no. Sorry.” She walked away and Francis lay back down now keeping a half an eye on those perverts because she didn’t trust them.

            “Do we want to swap? Christ! No wonder straight people think gays are a bunch of perves,” she mumbled.

            A few seconds later Adrian sat down beside her and asked, “Back first or front?” 

            “Front it’s the way I’m laying.” She opened her eyes shading them long enough to look at Adrian. “I swear I could just go to sleep.”

            Adrian started smearing her up with sun screen starting at her toes and ending at her face. “Now I have to do you,” Francis said with a smile.

“Why don’t you take a nap? You look like you’re almost asleep. I can put it on myself; I don’t have as much skin showing as you do.” She was wearing trunks and a tank top, which was apparently her bathing suit. Francis opened one eye and looked at her.

“Don’t just say your going to do it and then don’t,” Francis said. “You could still burn, and even if you don’t I don’t want you to get skin cancer.”

“Yes dear,” Adrian said with a hint of laughter to her voice.

“Why don’t you take a nap, too? Aren’t you tired baby?” Francis asked.

“I don’t think I got up as early as you did.” Francis saw Adrian grab her sketch pad and pencil off the blanket and she smiled and closed her eyes. She said she couldn’t do it but it wasn’t going to stop her trying. “I’ll probably just pass out when I hit the bed tonight.”

“You better not,” Francis said. “I expect you to take care of business tonight.”

Adrian sketched. As the other couple went in they glared at her and she just smiled back and kept working. They probably wanted the beach all to themselves and found Adrian and Francis’ presence an intrusion.  Francis slept solid for thirty minutes and Adrian shook her awake, told her to roll over. She covered her in sun screen and then Francis went back to sleep and Adrian realized that the last couple of weeks running the restaurant had been harder on Francis than she’d let on. It was a lot of work for one person especially if they weren’t used to doing it. She was sketching when Janice walked up to her back and whispered, “She makes a good subject doesn’t she?”

            “I can never get her right,” Adrian said.

            “That looks pretty good,” Janice said.

            “But she’s perfect, and I can never make her look perfect.”

            “Dinner is ready, but we serve till seven if you want to stay on the beach a little longer. I suggest you get up early in the morning and watch the sunrise. It’s spectacular. But I sort of like this time of day when the sunset is reflected on the waves and it’s just starting to get quiet.”

            “Thanks,” Adrian said.

            Janice turned and went back inside and then it was just she and Franny and the ocean. She put the sketch pad and pencil down and then she just lay down on her side beside Francis so that she could see her. She listened to the sound of the waves and the sea birds, enjoyed the smell of the ocean and the sunscreen and Francis’ unique smell. She wanted to lock all these things in her memory, save them for bad times, even mediocre ones. She knew Francis was asleep but she couldn’t help herself, she reached out and ran her hand over Francis’ back till she had her ass cupped in her hand.

            Francis giggled sleepily. “If you’re trying to wake me up you have succeeded.”

            “I wasn’t trying to wake you up I just couldn’t keep my hands off you any longer. Dinner’s ready. Why don’t we go in, get cleaned up, eat dinner, take a walk along the beach in the dark, and then go back to our room and make mad love till we both pass out?”

            “Sounds like a date.” Francis rolled over sat up and stretched. Adrian stood up put down a hand and Francis took. Adrian pulled Francis to her feet and then pulled her against her and kissed her. Francis kissed her back hungrily, wrapping her arms around Adrian’s neck. She broke away from her and looked in her eyes. “Or we could just fuck in the sand.”

            “Come on.” Adrian pushed away from her. “Let’s go. I don’t even want to think how we’d get the sand out of where it would get if we did that. I feel like I have enough sand in my crack as it is.”

They were the last ones in the dining room, and while they waited for their dinner Adrian was working on the sketch.

            “I thought you’d sketch the ocean,” Francis said.

            “I did. There it is behind you, see?” Adrian said pointing.

            “You know what we should do in the morning after breakfast?”
            “Watch the sunrise over the ocean,” Adrian said.

            “All right, after that you know what we should do?”
            “No what?” Adrian asked with an indulgent smile.

            “Well Petrie has a historic downtown district with craft shops and I think we should go check it out.”

            “Sounds like fun,” Adrian said. “We’ll have to get matching t-shirts so that everyone can make fun of us… Oh and we’ll have to get souvenirs for our friends. You suppose they make one that says something like ‘We didn’t miss you assholes at all and can’t wait to leave again’?”

Francis laughed. “Or ‘No, you can’t come with us next time we go’.”

            “I like that better.”

            Janice brought their dinner to them—a seafood Al Fredo dish and a green salad.

            “Where is everyone?” Adrian asked.

            “They all left for town. There’s a great gay club called Talisman right on the strip and,” she saw Adrian and Francis shaking their heads. “Just want to be alone, huh?”

            “That, and we own a sort of club in Shea City on B Street,” Adrian said.

            “Really? I went to college in Shea City. I used to practically live on B Street. Which club is yours?”

            “Rhonda’s.”

            “Rhonda’s? But Stella White owns Rhonda’s.”

            “I bought it from Stella.”

            “Wow! I never thought Stella would sell Rhonda’s,” Janice said.

            “Me either,” Adrian said.

            Janice laughed. “So I can see why you don’t want to go to a club on your vacation. Sort of be like Phyllis and I going to a B and B on ours. If you need anything just holler.” She went back in the kitchen.

            Adrian nearly inhaled her food and when she looked up Francis was nearly done eating so she must have been as hungry as Adrian was. All the swimming she supposed.

            “You want to hear something horrible?” Francis asked.

            “Not particularly.”

            “Not that bad. It’s just, well, I keep thinking that we ought to call and check on them.”

            “Stop it, stop it right now.”

            “At least check on Rhonda’s, make sure there were no problems.”

            “Saboteur!” Adrian said and France laughed. “Come on let’s go on that walk.”

            They walked along the beach and then they went to bed and made love. As always it was fantastic, and then Francis was doing something different—flipping her fingers just right so that she was driving Adrian up the walls.

            “What the hell are you doing to me?” Adrian cried out.

            “Do you like it?” Francis asked with glee.

            “Yes, oh yes.”

            “Then shut up and let me finish.”

            When they’d finished making love Adrian had just passed out. For the first time in months she didn’t feel like someone was sitting and whispering in her ear while she tried to go to sleep. Instead she went to sleep thinking, “It’s good to get away.”

How To Donate if You Choose To Do So

          There are three ways you can donate.  If you can think of more ways, please let me know.  I'm always interested in YOU giving ME money.

1)  Use the PayPal buttons that will be included at the end of each episode.

2)  Send me a check or a money order to SELINA ROSEN, 710 W. REDBUD LANE, ALMA, ARKANSAS 72921-7247 and tell me what it's for.