I laughed at the image of the normally cool, calm and collected Allison hurling her lover’s belongings out a window. “Allison about tonight.” I began to say. “Don’t worry about it.” Allison cut me off. I took a deep breath and calmed myself before proceeding to talk to this stubborn woman. “I was just going to offer for you to join us.” I replied.
“Us?” She questioned me with surprise.
“Rita and I.” I explained. “We were just going dancing at The Galaxy. You and I could have dinner first and head into Cambridge.” I suggested.
“The Galaxy on a Thursday with Rita?” Allison said absently as she processed the information. “I don’t know, I would hate to feel like a third wheel.”
“You wouldn’t be.” I said quickly hoping to extinguish her fears. Judging by her stunned expression I was failing miserably. “Look Rita and I did go out once but there was no chemistry between us.” “Not like with you.”
“Does Rita know this?” She questioned me harshly.
“Yes.” I strongly answered her accusation. “We talked about it and now we are just friends. We go out dancing together and scope chicks.”
“Excuse me?” Allison roared with laughter. “You have been busy during my absence haven’t you?”
“I need to start living my life.” I answered honestly.
“And so you have.” Allison conceded quietly.
“Well I see that Aunt Mary still hates me.” A sultry voice boomed from the doorway. Nothing in the world could have prepared me for the sight I found standing in the doorway. She was as tall as Allison with a well-toned and very beautiful body. Not to mention long sandy brown hair and legs that went on for days. My mouth just hung open overwhelming by her presence. “Can you blame her?” Allison responded dryly to the woman. “What are you doing here, Chris?” Allison question her suspiciously.
“Ally, it’s your birthday.” I cringed at the familiarity in which Chris addressed Allison. “You sounded a little down on the phone.” She smiled at Allison as her eyes scanned her body. “Besides it’s raining in New York.”
“Well it’s not raining here.” Allison shot back smugly.
“Pity.” Chris drawled as she continued to stare at Allison with a lecherous leer.
Allison just returned her gaze with an icy stare. I wanted to waltz over to Chris and wipe that smug expression off of her face. But judging by the size of Chris and my own shortcomings I assumed that she could probably hurt me. I opted for plan B and cleared my throat very loudly in an attempt to end their staring contest. Chris turned to me and captured my gaze with lustful hazel eyes. “Well hi there.” She purred.
“Chris!” Allison snapped harshly.
“Hmm?” Chris hummed as her eyes scanned my body.
“Chris. No!” Allison commanded her. There was something in her tone of voice that reminded me of someone trying to train a naughty puppy. I would not have been surprised to hear Allison command her to sit or fetch.
“Sorry.” Chris apologized to Allison. “Hi I’m Chris.” She directed towards me in a much more civil manner as she offered me her hand.
“Stephanie Grant.” I answered as I returned her strong handshake.
A single thought ran threw my mind as she released my hand. “Wow!” Chris then removed her overcoat and I was impressed all over again. The woman was clad in a tight pair of black leather pants and a mid cut black tank top, which slightly exposed her well-defined abs. And once again I thought. “Wow! My God when they were a couple they must have been the poster girls for drop dead gorgeous lesbians.”
“This isn’t very nice of you Ally.” Chris’ deep voice cooed. “I flew all the way up here because I was afraid that you were going to be all alone on your birthday. And here I find you all cozy with this cute little thing. Now why didn’t you tell me that you were seeing someone?”
“I’m not seeing anyone.” Allison stated firmly.
“Why was she lying?” Then it hit me, just where was little Courtney anyway? It wasn’t like her to pass up an opportunity like Allison’s birthday. Clever thing that she was must have known that it would allow her to one up me yet again. There was something missing here. From the tone of Allison’s voice I knew that she was telling the truth. Could it be that Courtney was finally out of the picture? My heart did a double back flip at the very idea, that Courtney had been given the heave ho.
“Really?” Chris responded coyly to Allison’s denial as she allowed her eyes to wander over my body. Without thinking about my actions I took a step towards Allison. Protectively she moved in front of me and held a cautioning hand up towards her ex-lover.
“Chris behave.” Allison warned once again.
“Make up your mind Allison.” Chris teased her. “If she’s not yours then she’s fair game.”
“Hey!” I piped up suddenly insulted that I was being treated like a first prize in a turkey shoot.
“Chris I’m warning you behave.” Allison growled. Chris threw up her hands in a mock surrender.
“I see you brought your briefcase.” Allison noted. “Is that my present a night pouring over old case files?”
“You seem surprised?” Chris laughed. “Hey what can I say? I thought we could slip some work in and I could bill the firm for my hours and the flight up here. I also thought we might slip something else in but I guess that’s out the question now.” She looked directly at me with an accusing stare. “Sorry to ruin your plans Stud.” I thought with self-satisfaction.
“Something’s never change.” Allison muttered as she headed off for the kitchen.
I found myself left alone with Allison’s larger than life ex-lover. Chris was once again eyeing me up and down. This time however there was nothing lustful in her gaze. This time I felt as if she was sizing me up the way a fighter would size up their opponent. “Nice balloons.” Chris called nonchalantly out to Allison.
“Thank you. They are a gift from Stephanie.” Allison answered brightly from the kitchen.
“Very nice.” Chris offered to me in a congratulatory tone. “Relax kid.” She smiled at me. “Despite what you must have heard about me from Ally’s friends and neighbors I am not the devil herself. A close relation perhaps.” She teased and smiled warmly and patted me gently on the arm. “Hey I was in love with her and I will always be jealous of anyone that is special to her. Trust me I don’t bite.” She whispered to me in a friendly manner. I sighed with relief as I understood what she had been doing. Chris had flirted with me to see how Allison would react. Then she made an attempt to scare me off. “Juries must just fall at this woman’s feet.”
“So has Allison told you that I’m a womanizing jerk yet?” She questioned me loudly. I stood there with my mouth hanging open, uncertain as how I could respond to her statement. Chris ignored my discomfort and made herself at home by plopping down on the sofa. “Oh course I did.” Allison answered brightly as she returned from the kitchen with a tray of coffee cups.
“Don’t worry Stephanie.” Chris reassured me. “We can finally joke about it now. I was a jerk and I lost her. No one to blame but myself. But you didn’t have to tossed my entire wardrobe out the fifth floor window.”
“You deserved it.” Allison said bluntly.
“True.” Chris admitted. “But my best Donna Karen did not.”
“Speaking of clothes Stephanie found one of your Tshirts.” Allison said as she placed the coffee cups on the table and motioned for me to join them. I took a seat at the far end of the sofa and accepted the mug of black coffee she offered to me.
“Which one?” Chris asked her enthusiastically as she reached for her coffee.
“Hold on.” Allison spoke as she retreated into her bedroom, returning quickly with the black t-shirt with the words ‘Obey Me’ printed across the front. Allison tossed it to Chris, who snatched up the garment happily. “I knew you took this you fink.” She smirked. “Wait a second. What do you mean Stephanie found it? What’s the deal with the two of you anyway?”