London Harmony: Small Fry (6 page)

I had invited her to our expanding family tradition after dinner that evening.  She seemed reticent but finally said okay to experiencing the Brighton... well I guess it is the Brighton-West, Thursday Night ritual.

It was an important thing to have structure in our lives when we were living on the streets.  That structure helped Vanessa to focus after we ran out of meds for her condition.  The two main things we did, were Thursday Night, watching old movie musicals that were projected in an alley by local artisans, and Friday Night board game night.  They were not only about Van and my only form of entertainment, but they provided an anchor for our little two person family.

June became an important part of that as she came to hang out with us in the abandoned repair shop which Vannie had worked in, before it went out of business and we wound up on the streets.  June had never once judged us or looked down upon our situation.  I could tell from the moment we met when she tracked us down after Van had stolen her wallet, that she adored my sister.  She became part of our family that day whether she knows it or not.

That tradition continued when we all moved from New York to London.  Only now, as our family continues to grow, we watch the movies projected onto a huge white sheet in the marina that Tabitha Romanov's houseboat, Water Witch, is moored.

But Friday Nights still belong to June, Van, and me.  That is only for the three of us to share... family.  It is when we catch up on the goings on in our lives, and I can see how it relieves stress from my sister.  No matter how well the drugs work at keeping her stable, the sense of structure does even better for her. That and the music she says she can see in June's eyes.

I admit to ulterior motives, it is general public knowledge that Tabby Cat was virtually homeless before she was discovered by London Harmony.  She had lived on a barge, a floating slum that was little better than a cardboard box village.  She uses most of her newfound resources to fund a special project for people who are struggling to find housing in the country's most affluent city.  The Flotilla Project offers affordable or free housing on newly renovated barges with ultra modern cabins and facilities, to help people stand back on their own feet.

I drove up to the alley behind the Archives on Thursday night, dressed in my familiar and comfortable rocker clothes.  I had drawn a little smiley face sticking out its tongue, on my left shoe with a permanent marker.

Tash stepped out into the headlights and my breath caught.  She was wearing a simple, slightly wrinkled, blue dress and some cute flats, and a light, black jacket.  I'd never seen her looking so, I don't know, feminine?

She had her hair done up in a braid that hung down up front, over her left shoulder.  She was looking at her feet, and it was an adorable effect, I wonder if she realized how it made her look.  I wanted to hold her, and protect her, and...

She looked up and waved cutely.  I hopped out of the car and made sure to speak right away.  “You look amazing tonight Tash.”  I just had to help her into the car.

She shrugged as I grinned at her while she took in everything about me, her eyes lingering on my shoe as the corners of her mouth quirked up in a smile, before meeting my eyes.  “I didn't know what to wear.  I didn't know how formal this night was and didn't want to embarrass you.”

I tilted my head to keep our eyes locked as she lowered hers bashfully.  Good lord, I really was attracted to this woman.  I brought one shoulder up and squished up my face a bit to one side.  “I'm the one who's going to embarrass you, dressed like an extra from a Leather and Heels music video.”

She grinned, not dignifying my self-deprecating remark.  “I love Leather and Heels, and anything retro.”  I squinted an eye.  Our family was friends with Penny Franklin from Leather and Heels herself and she hated hearing her stuff was retro now.  I'd have to tease her about it next time I saw her.  Then Natasha said in a small voice, “Besides, I like this look on you, it is easily recognizable.”

I smiled and shut the door and ran around to the driver's side and hopped in.  I said, “To the Thames!”  And started driving.

She chuckled and said, “You're bloody strange at times Frannie.”  I tried to act all cool and laid back, which of course made me self-conscious as I shifted around in my seat trying for an aloof look.  I rested a hand on the console between the seats.  That didn't feel right either so I was about to move it when I suddenly stopped breathing.

Heat was blossoming from the point where her hand contacted mine when she took my hand in hers.  It was almost deathly silent in the car as she looked out her window without a word.  I glanced over a couple times as my lungs started burning, she wasn't breathing either and I smiled hugely and finally exhaled as quietly as I could.  She did the same in a shuddering release.  I gave her hand a little squeeze and we chanced a glance over at each other and smiled.

I felt like I was a freshman in secondary instead of college, and we both chuckled as I drove.  She stroked the back of my hand with her thumb.  The experience felt so charged, so comfortable, so right.  Neither of us noticed we didn't say a single word for the entire drive.

When I stopped the car in the marina parking lot, she looked down at our hands and let go with a slight look of regret.  I shrugged and almost apologized. “We're here.”

I said, “Just a sec.”  Then got out and went quickly to her door and opened it for her.  I offered a hand and she took it with a blush and stepped out and I shut the door behind her.

Then she looked between the boats on the river, me, and the car and then said nervously, “I didn't bring anything.”

I smiled.  “It isn't that kind of thing.  I can't explain.  You'll have to experience Thursday Night to understand.”

I noted that she hadn't let go of my hand after I helped her out of the car.  She saw me noticing and then seemed to get smaller somehow and she started bunching up the other sleeve of the black jacket into her hand.  “I didn't... is this... this is okay right?”  She held up our hands a bit.

I leaned against her playfully.  “Umm... yes, better than okay.”

She smiled a little at that as I moved her hand from mine to the crook of my arm and started walking toward the marina docks.  Then she admitted, “Nobody has ever... I mean... I think I like you and I don't know what is okay or how to act.”

I smiled at her and placed a hand on hers on my arm and said, “Just be yourself.  I like you too... a lot.”

She smiled and said, “Nobody has ever looked past my umm, idiosyncrasies long enough to...  you stuck around after you found out.”  She pulled us to a stop.  “I'm making a mess of things.”

I took a deep breath.  “You're doing better than you think you are.”

Then she said carefully, “You talk about boyfriends but I... oh bloody hell, are you attracted to me?  Cuz I'm attracted to you and it confuses me because you're a girl.”

I said confidently, “Yes I am attracted to you.  And boyfriends?  I still haven't figured out my own sexuality.  Maybe that's just it, I don't really fit under any particular label.  It confuses the hell out of me, but I decided not to try to figure it out, just go with my heart, nobody can help who they are attracted to.  Is it a problem I'm a girl?”

She shrugged and I started getting us walking again as she admitted, “I just never thought... that makes me gay?  I think you are sexy as hell and that scares me.”

I shook my head as I blushed.  “Why put a label on it?  You'll go just as crazy as me trying to figure it out.”  I was heating up all over, she had said she thought I was sexy as hell.

I came to a stop and looked at her.  She locked eyes with me as I said, “Don't think about it, but does this feel right?”  I leaned in and she closed her eyes as our lips met.  Her's were so soft and hot, and wanting.  Her lips slightly parted and her tongue timidly traced my upper lip, and I parted my lips too.  Our tongues gently danced a slow tango that left me wanting more.  Then I pulled away and wanted to giggle as I scrunched up my toes.

I asked, “Well?”

She still had her eyes closed and she smiled cutely, holding up a finger.  “Hang on Small Fry.  Give me a bloody chance to savor... I mean to process my first kiss.”

I blinked at her as she opened her eyes and tilted her head back and forth in an adorable manner as she grinned.  I asked, “Your first kiss?”  She was kidding, right?  A cutie like her had never dated?  We had never spoken about that, she had me talk about a couple of the guys I had dated, but she skillfully kept the focus off of her.

In answer, she just giggled as she hugged onto my arm, and said, “I kissed a girl and I liked it.”  Invoking the Katy Perry song.

I rolled my eyes and bumped her hip as we walked along the docks toward the end, where the huge houseboat floated.  “Yes, Katy.”

Then she looked up at me and asked, “Is this a date, or just friends going out to do something?”

I gave a sarcastic grin. “It is whatever you want it to be.  But do you go around slipping all your friends the tongue?”

She gave a burst of surprised laughter, which came out as a cute chirp.  Then she shrugged. “Of course.  Doesn't everyone?”  Then she softened and looked unsure of herself and almost asked, “A date.”

I stood tall as we reached the Water Witch and said, “Then I have the prettiest date here tonight.”  She squeezed my arm and blushed.  I called out to the upper deck with Tabby's inside joke, “Hello on the boat!  Permission to come aboard?”

I heard Teresa's snort and her head popped over the rail to look down at us.  She was Tabby's wife, manager, and owner of the McClellan Music Conservatory.  “Get up here you bloody little smart arse.”  I grinned at the smiling Tash and walked up the wide aluminum gangplank, which had built in aluminum railings.

I pulled her through the first door into the main living quarters, she gleeped as I tugged her along.  We went into the large kitchen that smelled of the almost heavenly smell of fresh popcorn as some was being popped on the counter, and I opened the fridge.

I told her, “Pick your poison.  Top shelf is off limits to us under-agers.”  I snagged a cola from the well stocked fridge and she looked in and at the beer on the top shelf and grinned.  Then she almost timidly grabbed a cola as well.  “Good choice.”

Then the popcorn machine stopped and I snagged the melted butter in a little-heated dish beside it and unceremoniously dumped it into the huge plastic bowl and mixed it in with the wooden spoon.  I gave a super cheesy grin to Tash and we hauled our goodies to the inside stairs that were just on the other side of the glass wall to the outside stairs to the upper deck.

I handed her the bowl and opened the hatch door and we stepped up onto the deck that had a few little outdoor tables and chairs and a beautiful view of London's skyline from the amazing vantage point the river provided.  It was like we were wrapped in the city, cradled by the buildings as we sat protected by their unwavering strength and history.

I grinned as a small cheer from our growing pool of friends called out, “Small Fry!”  It felt good, it felt like belonging, like family.  I blurted out a “Glurk!” as Zilrita snagged me in a squid hug.  I was about to warn Tahsa but was too late as she got one of her very own hugs from our resident goth hug-o-holic.  I grinned as Natasha just stood frozen, stiff as a board through it.

I chuckled.  “Tasha, this is Zilrita.  Our very own goth hug-slut.  Zil, everyone...”  I looked around at all the curious eyes on my girl.  Oh shit.  My girl.  I grinned.  I had a girl didn't I?  Or was it too soon to say that?  Oh good lord I was confused.  “This is my... date, Tasha.  She's a freshman at Chelsea too.”

Zil grinned and quipped, “I think I have an official hug-slut ID card somewhere.”

She gave a toothy grin and her lips started to slowly relax as she watched Tash's eyes darting all over her.  Dwelling on her block heeled black vinyl dragon boots.  Then to her skirt, and her little cartoon skull watch, then her face.  Then Tash finally looked at her face and smiled at her, “Hi.”

Zilrita gave me a cross ways questioning glance as I pulled Tash past her, I gave her a 'not now' look a mother would give a misbehaving child and she winked at me and stuck out her tongue at me.  I started introducing her around.

Tasha's eyes kept getting bigger and bigger as I introduced her around.  I keep forgetting that most of the people I know are famous.  They were all giving me odd looks when she didn't recognize them until I introduced them, then she'd get all surprised.

Tabby was her normal super cute self.  And seemed pleased that she didn't recognize her right off but instead babbled on how she loved the song ‘Water Gypsy’ as soon as I told Tash Tabby's name.  She spent extra time taking in the unique aspects of Tabby Cat before meeting her eyes.  Them the traitorous superstar said, “About time our thesaurus girl started dating again.  We thought she was going to marry an unabridged dictionary or an unpronounceable word if she didn't find someone soon.”

Tasha blushed and looked at her shoes and mumbled, “Her loquacious verbalization is what beguiled and captivated me, a fellow bibliophile.”

Tabby gleeped out one of her explosive laughs, laid her head on Teri's shoulder, and told her wife, “Bloody hell, now there's two of them!”  Then she crinkled her nose at me, nudging her chin toward Tash. “I like this one thesaurus girl, she's sassy.”