“Grrrr yap!” Mocha tugged fiercely at the fabric.
Chino plopped down next to Dar and put her head down on Dar’s shoulder, exhaling and stirring the dark hair on the side of her face.
“Hey Chi.” Dar curled an arm around the dog. “What are you up to, huh?”
Chino licked her ear, making it’s owner chuckle.
Kerry played with Mocha for a minute, then glanced at her partner. “I was thinking of making a big pot of barley soup. You up for that?”
Dar peered past Chino’s furry body at her. “Whatever you make, I’m up for.” She said. “You have yet to produce something out of that kitchen that I haven’t liked.”
“Is that true?” Kerry pondered. “I’ve made some kooky things in there.”
“It’s true. I grew up on a Navy base.” Dar said. “And you know how my mother cooks.”
“Hmm. So are you saying you’ll eat anything, and so whatever I make is okay?” Kerry’s eyes twinkled at her.
“I won’t eat anything.” Dar evaded the question. “You know that.”
No that was true. Kerry edged over so she could lay down and put her head on Dar’s stomach. “Dar, can I tell you something?”
“That stuff last night is still bothering you.” Dar responded confidently.
Kerry looked at her.
“The part about us being gay.” Dar clarified. “I don’t usually care about that, but it bothered me too.” She acknowledged. “I’ve lived here for years. You’ve lived here for years. Finding out people don’t like our lifestyle is like sandpaper on the ass.”
“No, it’s not that.” Kerry said. “I always assumed there were people who didn’t like it. But that everyone now feels so comfortable saying that does kind of bother me. It’s become okay to diss our relationship in public.”
“Ker, it always was.” Dar said. “C’mon. It’s only been a damn short time where anyone’s accepted it.”
“Mm. It still feels weird.” Kerry said. “Its like we’ve become a target, lately.”
Dar studied her briefly. “Does it make you uncomfortable living here?”
Kerry was silent for a bit. “You mean, because the guy who owns the place doesn’t like us?”
Dar nodded.
Kerry shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just in a mood today.” She admitted. “Why should it matter? We’ve never even met the guy. It makes me feel a little weird about Kristie though.”
“Mm.”
“Do people really think we recruit?” Kerry wondered. “Like we’re some creepy vampire club or something?”
“Sure. Didn’t your dad think I turned you gay?” Dar asked, in a reasonable tone. “People believe what they want to believe, and it’s easier to think someone is making your loved one change than it is to believe they were born that way.”
Kerry frowned. “Yuk.”
Dar ruffled her hair gently. “Go make your soup, Ker. It is what it is.”
It was what it was. Kerry rolled onto her side and then got up onto her hands and knees, leaning forward and giving her partner a kiss on the lips. Then she yelped as Mocha bit her on the toe and then grabbed the tail of her old t shirt and started pulling it.
Hopefully it would be a nice and quiet, rainy Sunday.
**
Dar was in her office messing around with her demo when the doorbell rang. She glanced up to see Kerry cross the living room to answer it, and wondered who the hell was calling on them this late on a Sunday evening.
“Oh hi.” She heard Kerry say, then heard the sound of footsteps coming and the door closing. Dar looked up to see the entrance to her office filled with her partner and their two security friends from the previous night. “Hey Charles.”
“Hi, Ms. Roberts.”
Dar leaned back and propped her knee up against the desk. “C’mon in. What can we do for you?”
The two men came in, standing awkwardly until Kerry guided them to the sofa, then went back behind Dar’s desk and leaned on the credenza behind it.
“Okay, so.” Charles exhaled. “Sorry to bother you ladies so late. But we just finished all the paperwork and I wanted to come over so we could tell you the low down.”
Kerry extended her legs and crossed them at the ankles. Her reading of body language made her think the message wasn’t going to be all bad, and she produced a faint smile. “Would you guys like some cold apple cider? I was just about to bring some in here for Dar.”
“Sure.” Charles said, at once. “We just walked all the way across the island. Gets you thirsty.”
Kerry eased past the desk and headed for the kitchen.
“So.” Charles cleared his throat. “That guy, Billy, he kicked up a big fuss. He went to the island admin offices and wanted to get them to throw you ladies right on out of here.”
Dar blinked at him. “He wanted to get us evicted?” She queried. “For me defending myself with shellfish?”
“Not so much.” The guard captain said. “He said, it was a moral thing, you know?”
Dar rolled her eyes as Kerry came back in with a tray. “You know.” She eyed her partner. “I’d really like to know, in a graphic way, what breeders think we do with each other that’s so different than what they do.”
Kerry put the tray down and handed glasses out. “I’m not even going to comment.” She took her cup and went back to leaning against the credenza. “So what were they told? Since I know evicting us wouldn’t be legal.”
Charles nodded. “So that’s what the association secretary said. That you ladies mind your own business and don’t hardly cause no trouble.” He said. “So then he went in to talk to Kristie's dad, only he didn’t know he was.”
“Oh, I can see this coming.” Dar covered her eyes with one hand.
“So Big Jim broke his arm.” The other guard nodded. “They took him off in an ambulance.”
“That’s right.” Charles said. “Broke his arm and his nose too. He shoulda stuck with you ladies. All he got from that was a bump on the noggin.”
“Wow.” Kerry said. “So – is he going to sue Kristie’s father now?”
“I’m thinking he’s gonna be evicted himself. “ Charles said. “But I did hear Big Jim say he was going to come talk to you ladies so I thought I should let you know that.” He paused, looking a touch uncomfortable. “He’s an old fashioned kind of guy.”
“Here we go again.” Kerry sighed. “You know, it’s not against the law to be a homosexual.”
Dar cleared her throat. “Not so much with our variety no. But I think sodomy is still illegal in Broward county.”
Kerry covered her eyes, and the two guards blushed in embarrassment.
“Anyway, he can come talk to us all he wants. But this place is paid off, and we own it, and there’s not a damn thing he can do about it.” Dar said. “Thanks for the heads up though, guys. We appreciate it.”
The guards finished their cider and got up. “Well, you ladies have a nice night” Charles said. “And keep out of trouble.”
Kerry saw them to the door, then returned, dropping onto the couch with a frown. “I’m not sure I liked that conversation.”
“Mm. “ Dar grunted. “He really can’t do anything to us.”
“No, I don’t think so either, but it’s just not cool, Dar.”
“No.” Her partner sighed . “It’s really not. Its not even cool that he’d try it with that buttload. Guy has a right to live where he wants to live – most he should do is file charges for him grabbing Kristie.”
“You’re defending him??”
“I’m saying he needs to be deal with via the legal system if that’s how you feel. Kicking him off the island for what he did is the same as kicking us off for being gay.” Dar said, in a mild tone. “I’m not saying I wouldn’t cheer if he got tossed into Government Cut.”