Robin looked tired as she gripped her cane and let Laura take her carry-on bag. The awkwardness was there even as they hugged.
Laura smiled. "Are you sure you're up to dinner?"
"What other options do I have?"
Laura caught the suggestiveness in her voice. "We could stop for a drink somewhere.
Maybe go for a drive."
"I could use a drink, I guess."
Laura brought the car around and picked her up.
"You look wonderful," Robin said.
"Thanks. How did things go in Miami?"
"The team did very well." She shook her red hair out of her eyes and leaned back in the seat. "I heard about Mavis and Daisy. Susan doesn't think they'll get back together."
"It looks a little bleak right now, but you never know."
Laura pulled into the parking lot of her favorite women's bar and wasn't even sure it was opened yet. Her usual bartender and three customers had the whole place to themselves.
Robin selected a table in the corner while Laura got their drinks. The awkwardness
between them was back again. Robin moved her cane three times and then began peeling the label off of her beer bottle with a thumbnail. She signed heavily.
"This is awful, Laura. I don't even know where to begin."
"You said you had to see me. Maybe you should start with that."
Robin didn't say anything right away, but their eyes met again. So many things went
through Laura's mind, mostly brief, angry thoughts that she had absolutely no control over.
She suddenly realized that she would never be able to confront Robin about the details of her accident, or anything else for that matter. Laura no longer cared what the answers
would be. She despised being lied to, and saw that as the core of the problem between them.
"So why did you want to see me?" Laura asked.
"You're all I've been able to think about for weeks."
"And how did you let that happen?" she asked dryly.
"Can we cut the sarcasm? This is difficult enough without it."
Laura sipped her beer and nodded. As safe as she felt with her sarcasm, she could give it up for a few minutes.
"Let me start by outlining the reasons why I can't live here," Robin said, "and then I'll state my case as to why it shouldn't matter." She had gotten herself together, and it was
obvious from the tone of her voice that she had rehearsed this speech.
"My brother and his wife are getting a divorce, and my sister-in-law has accepted the coaching position here with my uncle Harlow. I told you we were lovers in college for a while, and she says she's still in love with me. She wants me to resign from the university, join her in the family business and help her raise my nephews. She's got it in her head that we can just pick up where we left off ten years ago and live happily ever after."
With an eyebrow raised, Laura mentally processed this information and came to quick conclusions on her own. "What's given her the impression that it's even a possibility?"
"Apparently it's something she's had in the back of her mind for a while."
Laura smiled knowingly and had at last solved the mystery of Robin's whereabouts on several key occasions during the summer. Babysitting with nephews my ass, she thought angrily.
"Does your sister-in-law know about me?"
"She knows I've been seeing someone, but I've never discussed our relationship, no. Why do I get the feeling I'm wasting my time here, Laura?" she asked suddenly. "That I'm on this one-way street all by myself?"
"Maybe it's your conscience talking. You lied to me about Mavis, and I think you're lying about your sister-in-law."
"None of that should have anything to do with us. Don't you see? For the first time in my life I feel like something good is happening to me. Like all the shit I've been through doesn't matter anymore. You've made a difference in my life, Laura. I've hurt you, and I'm sorry. What happened with Mavis is something I'm not very proud of. And to answer your question from the last time I saw you, yes — I knew Mavis had a lover when I... the one time we were together. You had a name, but no face. Mavis talked about you all the time.
Hell, she still does." Robin looked at her steadily. "It wasn't until you and I were alone in the kitchen together that day at Mavis and Daisy's that I realized exactly who you were.
You were that Laura. Mavis's Laura. I like you. I didn't feel very good about myself right then, and I thought Mavis was probably the biggest fool I've ever known."
"She is," Laura confirmed.
Robin chugged her beer. "So what happens now? With us, I mean. Susan mentioned that you've been seeing a lot of Mavis lately."
"Susan talks too much."
"Is it true?"
Laura didn't answer. She watched as Robin continued scratching the label off of her beer bottle.
Robin sighed heavily. "Let's go back to your place and make love the rest of the weekend."
Laura tried to hide her surprise at the bluntness of the suggestion. "I'm not ready for that yet," she managed to say.
"Ever? Or not this trip? If you need time, then I'l give you more time."
"Time for what?" Laura asked. "I'm here and you're in Chicago. Al the time in the world won't change that. I want a real relationship, Robin. We wake up together every day, we
come home from work, we walk the dog, we eat dinner, watch TV, go to bed and start all
over again. Together. Under the same roof. I won't settle for anything less than that."
Robin slammed her beer bottle down on the table; they briefly had the whole bar's attention.
"I'm still working on it."
"Fine. Work your little heart out." Laura didn't believe a word of it.
Robin reached for her cane. Her face was set in a scowl. "Can you take me to my parents' house?"
"I thought we were having dinner."
"I'm not very hungry."
Laura reached for her purse. "Sure. I can take you anywhere."
In the car Robin stuck her cane in the seat between them as if to erect a barrier. She gave brief directions and didn't speak again. Thirty minutes later they were parked in the McKavats' winding
driveway. It was dark, even though the street lights were on. The house was huge, with colossal columns and a yard that seemed to go on forever. Several lights were on inside, giving off a nice warm glow.
Robin settled back against the headrest and turned in Laura's direction. "It's not over. I won't let it be over."
"Maybe we should work on being friends for a while."
"I want more, and I think you do too." Robin leaned over and kissed her. "This is insane,"
she whispered. "I'm here now. Let's make the best of it."
Laura pulled away from her. "I don't think so. Spending the weekend in bed with you and then putting you on a plane back to Chicago isn't something I want to do."
Robin snatched up her cane and yanked her bag out of the back seat. "Give me a call if you change your mind." She slammed the door and disappeared into the darkness.
The following Friday, Laura arrived at Mavis's apartment among scores of women she didn't know. There was standing room only as she added her apartment-warming gift to the pile on the dinky table near the bathroom. She found Mavis chattering away in the corner, gave her a hug and somehow ended up with a margarita in each hand. Laura managed to give the drinks away without spilling any. She saw Wanda and Jolly in what was considered the kitchen. They were uncovering a fresh tray of crustless sandwiches.
"Mavis says you're painting her a window over there," Wanda said, nodding toward the bare wall on the other side of the room.
Laura chuckled and helped herself to a triangular-shaped pimento and cheese sandwich.
Trish and Susan worked their way over and joined them. The music from Mavis's stereo was deafening.
"I hear things didn't go very well when Robin was here last week," Trish said.
"Things went fine. They just didn't go the way she expected them to."
"She's pissed."
"She'll get over it."
A while later, to a crescendo of laughter, Mavis opened her gifts — everything from a lettuce keeper to crotchless underwear. As people began to leave, mingling became easier.
The majority were going bar-hopping afterwards and started the convoy at nine. By ten-thirty there were less than a dozen people left, with most gathered around the keg near the couch. Mavis picked up one of her presents and opened the box again.
"Pasties," she said delightedly. "With glue! I never knew them things had to be glued on."
She held one up and gave the bright red tassel a little twirl. "I thought they had suction cups on 'em or somethin'. Glue! How the hell do you get 'em off when you're through?"
"Just keep them in the box and you won't have to worry about it," Wanda suggested.
Laura was tired and ready to go, but they wouldn't let her.
"And looky here at these," Mavis said. She was a little drunk, and having a good time. She opened a
small flat box and waved what appeared to be a dark blue hanky. "Somebody gave me edible underwear. Grape flavor!"
"The cherry's better," Trish said to a roar of laughter.
"Grape's just fine," Mavis said happily. "Cherries don't do too much for me. I like fruit with a little more experience." She tucked her new underwear away in the box. "I'll save
'em for a special occasion."
Laura made a round with a trash bag then and heaved it toward the corner. "It's late. I'm outta here."
"You can't leave yet," Mavis protested. "There's stil beer left."
"I've had more than enough."
Mavis and Trish led her over to the couch, one at each elbow, and sat her down. "It's bad
luck to leave before all the booze is gone," Mavis said. "You wanna give me bad luck in my new place?"
"If I stay I'm not drinking, so what difference does it make?" Laura countered. She was tired. It was late. If she didn't get home soon Jo-Jo would probably take revenge on her new suede boots in the closet.
"If nothing else," Jolly said, "you can be our designated driver."
"You can call a taxi. I'm the only person allowed to throw up in my car." Laura found her purse and hugged them all, ignoring their pleading for her to stay. Mavis insisted on walking
with her out to her car. Over her shoulder Laura saw Trish and Wanda fighting over the last of the foam in the keg just as
Susan gave life to the blender and a new batch of margaritas.
"Be careful," Laura said as- Mavis stumbled down the last three steps and miraculously landed on her feet. 'You'll break your fool neck."
"And whose fault will it be?" Mavis steadied herself against a tree and squinted up at the porch light.
"You're leavin' early," she said with a wagging finger. "That's givin' me bad luck already."
"That's bullshit. Once that bunch up there gets started, you'll be going on tequila runs the
rest of the night."
Mavis linked her arm through Laura's and led the way to the car. Mavis's body was warm and sweet-smelling. It was a nice feeling, one that Laura hadn't had in a while.
"I'm glad you could make it," Mavis said, letting go of her arm. "It's important to me. You bein' here and everything. I wish you could stay longer."
Laura gave her a friendly squeeze on her shoulder. "A few more drinks and you won't even know I'm gone."
"Of course we will." She pushed her blonde hair back from her forehead and smiled. "My therapist says it's good that we can do things together."
"Therapist? What therapist?"
Mavis laughed nervously. "I'd better get back upstairs. My guests might need me."
"What therapist?" Laura asked again. "Come back here."
Mavis threw her a kiss and staggered toward the stairs. "I'll tell you about it sometime.
Toodles, darlin'."
Laura drove home, her confusion mounting. She had no idea what was going on. At least Jo-Jo was glad to see her, and it was a relief to know that she had the rest of the weekend all to herself. There had been something acutely disturbing about the entire evening.
Something that she couldn't quite put her finger on.