“Really? Why is that?” I questioned suddenly intrigued about this new revelation.
Maureen was about to answer my question when I heard very familiar footsteps approaching. I knew it was she before I heard her sultry voice. “Because Chris and I worked together and whenever we had problems the entire firm knew about it. Sometimes before I did.” Allison explained in a flat tone.
“Allison!” I gasped suddenly feeling like a deer caught in the headlights of an approaching vehicle.
“Relax.” She smiled. “You haven’t done anything wrong. I would have told Maureen myself.”
“Where have you been?” Maureen questioned her sternly.
“I have been making nice with the Dean.” Allison explained.
“Really?” Maureen questioned her suspiciously.
“Yes really.” Allison defended herself. “I know I was late so as soon as I arrived I spent all of my time sucking up to the old coot. I may be in a pissy mood but I’m not an idiot.”
“So is everything all right between the two of you or am I going to have to separate you?” Maureen folded her arms across her chest eyeing the both of us.
“Everything is fine.” Allison answered quickly for the both of us. “And just for the record nothing happened last night.” “Maybe not for you.” I thought to myself.
The three of us strolled back to the party, which appeared to be breaking up. Maureen and Allison talked by themselves for a moment. Maureen waved goodbye to me and made her departure. Allison turned to me a tense smile crossed her face as she approached me. She bit her lip as she stared at me intently. She sighed a heavy breath and smiled a more relaxed smile. “Come on. We need to find you some furniture.” She said in a soothing voice.
“You still want to do this with me?” I asked carefully.
` “To be completely honest I considered just loaning you my car.” She confessed. “But then after I had a chance to think things over I realized that I have been behaving very badly today. I was put off by what I heard you say to your boyfriend. I shouldn’t have been. It is none of my business … it was that this morning … I … well that is not important. I also realized that I need to stop over reacting to every innocent gesture. It’s just that after last night I felt confused. Instead of realizing that you and I were comfortable with touching one another in a friendly manner before all of this happened … I over reacted.” She seemed relieved at having explained things to me finally.
“I do not think you over reacted.” I said sincerely. “Well maybe just a little. But I did not help matters any. Look I’m the one who started all of this.” I put my hand up stopping her from interrupting me. “Enough. I’m sorry and you are sorry. Let’s try to do what we promised each other this morning. I want our friendship back and so do you. I don’t know about you but I am getting a headache from all of this drama. A drunken make out session isn’t worth all of this stress.”
She smiled sweetly at my declaration. We began to walk away when I touched her arm. I was pleased that she didn’t flinch are make any attempt to refuse my offer. “Allison in regards to your behavior, you need to remember that I have seen act much worse than this.” I teased her.
“That is right.” She laughed. “I keep forgetting that you got to see me as the lawyer bitch. Tell me something back then I didn’t make you cry did I?”
“As a matter of fact you did.” I admitted. “But I did manage to hold off until I was safely away from you. How did you know?”
“Back then I made everyone cry. Even my own Mother.” Allison admitted with a dejected shrug.
We drove into town to the futon shop and I looked around. I had to budget everything very carefully since I would not receive my first paycheck until the end of the month. A polite young salesman showed us around. I could tell by Allison’s demeanor that shopping was not one of her favorite things to do. I on the other hand loved to explore and take my time. I curbed my usual prowling and selected a simple full sized model. The salesman looked at me oddly and suggested that perhaps a queen size or perhaps a king size would be more suitable. I explained that a full size was more than suitable for myself. Politely pointing out my height or lack there of.
It was when he cast a shy glance over to Allison that it dawned on me that he thought that we were a couple. I held back a laugh thinking that if his assumption were correct than yes, we would definitely require a much larger mattress. I was about to correct his error when Allison whispered to me. “How tall is Peter?”
“A little taller than you. Why?” I whispered my reply not wanting to embarrass the poor sales boy any further.
“Then I think this guy is right.” Allison explained. “With your build the full is all right for just you, but what about when … you know?”
“You are right. I didn’t even think about that.” I confessed.
“Why would you? When you are my height you think of these things.” Allison teased me as she patted the top of my head to stress her point.
I informed the salesman that a king size would be more appropriate and was relieved when he confirmed that the model I had selected was available in that size. The model I had chosen was a simple wood frame that could be pulled down easily. This way I would not have to go to great lengths each morning and evening. With one tug the futon snapped down into a bed and with a simple push it instantly converted back into a couch.
While the futon and its mattress were being loaded into Allison car the salesman suggested that we look around at some of the covers they had available. As we sorted threw the various designs I leaned over and whispered to Allison, “You know the salesman thinks we are a couple.”
“I know.” She giggled. “Does that bother you?” She asked quickly.
“No.” I answered honestly.
“How about this one.” She said holding up an ivory colored cover with a simple floral design.
“Perfect.” I smiled. “What size is it?”
“Full.” She frowned and we both began searching for the correct size. In our search our hands touched and I felt a spark race through my body. Neither of us moved as our eyes met and our breathing became labored. It was the briefest of moments but the intensity of the innocent touch was almost over powering. Allison slowly pulled her hand away and crossed her arms in front of her. I paused for a moment to catch my breath and then proceeded to resume my search. Finding the correct size I walked over to the counter and paid for my purchases.
After we departed the futon shop we proceeded to browse through every shop Main Street had to offer. Everywhere we stopped people greeted Allison. As she introduced me I realized that Haven was a very small town, populated mostly by students and members of the faculty from the University. I could tell by the expressions on most people’s faces that they were already assuming that Allison and I was a couple. It bothered me that people just assumed that because Allison was a lesbian that meant since we were out shopping together that we must be lovers. It wasn’t the assumption that I was lucky enough to have this woman as my lover. But it was the narrowed minded assumption that a gay woman could not be just friends with another woman.
Allison of course true to her nature took every opportunity to make it perfectly clear to everyone that she was just showing her new friend around town. It was more than apparent to me that Allison had been down this road before. “I need a break.” Allison whined. “Let’s go in here my feet are killing me.” Needing relief from all of the walking we had down I saw no reason to argue with her suggestion. I waved packages towards the doorway and we entered the little ice cream parlor. Like everything else in town it was a throw back to another era. With it’s art deco lighting and furnishings it took my breath away. I groaned when I noticed that it was also packed with people.