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“Yeap.”

Kerry digested that as they left the building and started down the sidewalk to the parking lot side by side.

“Roberts.”

They turned, to find Briggs jogging after them.  He waved them forward. “Let me walk you ladies to your car.’

“Bout to get weirder.” Kerry muttered as they cleared the gate.  “I can just tell.”

**

Ceci took a seat in the little garden,  while Andy collected the dog toys and started tossing them. “So.”  She regarded the girl sitting uncomfortably in the other chair.  “You know we talked to your father.”

She nodded, relaxing visibly. “Yeah he told me.  I got really pissed off at him.”  She said. “I was so mad. He told me he was going to get them out of here, and.. you know that’s not fair.”

“No, it isn’t.”  Ceci agreed. “That wasn’t a nice way to pay Dar back for a good deed she did.”

“That’s what I told him, that it was so cool for her to come in and get in this guy’s face, so he should be thankful, you  know?  Not get all mean with her.” Kristie looked around, then back at Ceci. “But he didn’t get that. He thought maybe she did it just to get in with me.”

Ceci shook her head. “Not my kid.” She said, flatly.  “Let me tell you from the perspective of someone who had to deal with raising Dar. “ She leaned an elbow on the table. “She’s nuts.  Not really in a bad way, but she does crazy things for people because she’s got some weird internal chivalry that makes her do it.”

Kristie frowned. “What do you mean?”

“She would step in front of a bus for a complete stranger.”  Ceci said. “She got into that guy’s face on your behalf just because jackasses offend her sense of what’s right.”   She watched Christy’s face closely “Sorry to disappoint you.”

Kristie looked away.  “Well, that’s not what my dad thinks.”

“Therein lies the crux of the problem.”  Ceci said.  “Because it’s true, and it’s  not fair of you, or your father to make assumptions like that.    The idiot who was going after you – he could have had a gun. She could have been shot getting involved in that and you know what kid?  You aren’t worth it.”

Kristie stared at her.

“Not to me, not to my husband, not to Kerry Stuart.” Ceci said. “I would rather have seen you raped and beaten than have to have her get hurt doing something like that.”

“That’s harsh.”  The girl said, bluntly.

“Life is, sometimes.”  Ceci agreed.  ‘Your father telling us he intends on making hard for us to live here until we leave is harsh too, especially since the only reason he’s doing that is because he thinks Dar’s going to turn you gay.”

The girl turned bright red. 

“You do know that’s not how that happens, right?”

“I…” Kristie said. “I don’t know anything about it, but that sounds really stupid.” She added. “You cant make people any way like that.”

Ceci regarded her. “No, you really can’t.” She said.  “But you know,  you can’t all the time help who you’re attracted to either.”

The girl gave her a suspicious look. “What do you mean?”

“Well, take me.” Ceci suppressed a smile.  “I grew up in a very rich family, up north.  My parents were willing to provide me with pretty much anything I wanted, and they took a lot of pains to introduce me to young men who were in the same station of life I was, and give me a chance to find a partner among people who were like we were.”

Kristie paused, and then nodded. “Yeah, I get that.  My dad does that too. He has me go with him to his club meetings and stuff like that.”

“Right.  So what did  I do? Ran away to a Greyhound bus station and fell in love with the first guy in uniform waiting for a ride I found.”

“Really?”

“Really.” Ceci glanced fondly at Andrew, who was chasing Mocha across the grass. “Andy’s from a very poor family in Alabama.  We have exactly nothing in common.  But that never stopped us from loving each other and making a life together.  So when my daughter told us she wasn’t going to have a conventional love life it never fazed either her father or me.”

“Did your parents freak out?” Kristie asked, curiously.

“They certainly did. I was disowned.” Ceci said. “But I never cared.  Andy was more important to me than they were.    So I sympathize with you about your father.”

“He’s so stupid.” Kristie said, suddenly. “That’s all he can think of- about that gay stuff. . It had nothing to do with .. that.. with sex or anything I just thought it was really cool what she did and I said so.” She got it all out in a rush of words.  “I didn’t think he’d freak out like that.”

Ceci studied her in silence, glancing up when Andy wandered back over and sat down next to her.  “He’s not religious?”

Kristie shook her head. “No, we don’t go to church or anything like that. That’s what I told them. “ She gestured vaguely in the direction of the condo.  “He just doesn’t like gay people.”

“How come?” Andy spoke up.

“What?”

“How come he don’t like gay folks?” He repeated. “He grow up with the church or what all?”

Kristie shrugged. “Most people don’t. Right?” She said, in a straightforward way.  “It’s weird.  It’s not .. I mean it seems really weird.”

Andrew shrugged back. “I guess we got a different view on it.  Never much bothered me.”  He cleared his throat gently. “Not with Dar, anyhow.”

Ceci turned her head. “But you didn’t like it when they hit on you. I remember that.”

The girl’s eyes widened.  “Hit on you… what do you mean?”

Andrew rested his elbows on his knees, one hand stroking Chino’s head as the Labrador nuzzled him.  “Had me some problems with that in the Navy.” He said, briefly.  “I got het up when folks talked bad about gay people, cause of Dar, and some folks took that to mean I went that way too.”

Kristie frowned. “But you..  you were married, right?”

Ceci raised her hand. “E-yep.” She agreed. “We’re an old fashioned couple. We got married before I had Dar, strange as that probably seems to you young uns.”

“And they still wanted to..  uh.. have you? “ Kristie made a face. “Now see what I mean? That’s gross.”

Well now, Ceci had to internally agree that the kid might actually have a point there.  She remembered the feeling she’d gotten when Andy had indignantly told her of the advances, and she had to admit..  “That is kind of gross.” She admitted. “But at the time, I told Andy to just ignore it.”

“But I did feel something bad. So I thought maybe your father had something like that go on.” Andy said. “Put people off.”

“I don’t know.” Kristie shook her head. “He never said anything like that. I think he just – “ She paused and fell silent.  “He just wants us to be normal.”

“Ain't no such thing.” Andrew said.

“Okay well.”  Ceci said. “I’m sorry we all got into this mess, especially since it all started with a relatively good deed. “ She added. “Any ideas on how we can get everyone’s shorts out of a knot?”

They regarded each other in silence. 

**

“So look.”  Bridges folded his arms and leaned back against their rental car.  “Here’s where we stand.”

They were standing outside in the late afternoon sun, a cool breeze moving past.   Dar was seated on the hood of the car, and Kerry was leaning next to her. 

“I know where we stand.” Dar said. “But if it means anything, sorry we pissed you off.” She shifted a little on the hood. “Didn’t really mean to.”

“What? Never mind that.” Bridges waved his hand. “That boat’s down the river.  Something else came up.” He said. “You’ll be a footnote in an hour.  Everyone got focused elsewhere.”