White Offerings (6 page)

“Ari!” they both cried.

She stopped, allowing them to wrap their little bodies around her middle. She couldn’t return the hug, her arms loaded with wine and gifts. “Hi, guys.” She loved five-year-old Chelsey and her three-year-old brother, Kenny, who treated her as if she was another aunt. “Can you help me carry these things in?” Both blond heads nodded, and she handed each one a present to take into the house. The children ran back through the front door and disappeared.

She stepped over the threshold and amazing smells poured out of the kitchen and loud sports commentary squawked from the plasma TV. Molly’s father, Don, and his oldest son, Don Jr., watched the Suns’ pregame show while Molly’s mother, Teddy, floated across the kitchen, stirring, checking and preparing the entire meal. Theodora Nelson was the old-fashioned kind of mother who wouldn’t allow anyone in her domain. The only exception was Don Jr.’s wife, Jenna, since Molly would have nothing to do with cooking. When Teddy had tried to teach Molly her culinary secrets, Molly always found convenient excuses to miss her cooking lessons. There was always a softball game or a flying lesson. Consequently, she never learned to make anything beyond grilled cheese.

“Hi, Ari,” Teddy called.

Don Jr. waved and Molly’s father jumped up and gave her a hug. “I hear my detective daughter is going to be late.”

“She is. She’s working on a big case.”

“Is it dangerous?” Teddy asked, emerging from the kitchen and giving her a quick hug.

“I don’t think so. She’s with a lot of other detectives and even some people from the FBI. I think this is really their case.”

“Hey, stranger,” a voice called. Ari turned to see Jenna coming down the hall. She looked as though she had just awoken from a nap. Ari imagined that Jenna, pregnant with her third child, needed more rest.

Ari kissed her on the cheek and squeezed her shoulder. “How’s everything going?”

“Doctor says we’re fine. We went in for our first ultrasound and the baby looks healthy.”

“Do you know if she’s a she or a he?” Ari asked excitedly.

“No, and I don’t think we’ll find out this time. We’ve got one of each and plenty of baby clothes for either, so we want to enjoy the surprise.”

“I don’t,” Don said. “I want another boy.”

“All you ever wanted was boys,” Teddy said, moving back into the kitchen toward the amazing aromas.

“Where are Brian and Lynne?” Ari asked Jenna.

“They’re on their way. Brian did some moonlighting work for a friend, and he had a major problem. They should be here in a while. Why don’t you open that bottle of wine, pour a glass and relax?”

She left the married women to the work and wandered through the house. She stopped as she always did to look at the family photos that lined the hallway wall. She adored the childhood pictures of Molly, and every time she studied the display, she wondered if she would have liked her when she was nine, or fifteen or twenty-three. Would there have been the unbelievable connection that existed between them now? They shared a variety of common interests, including a passion for old movies, fabulous coffee and making love. Many of their evenings included all three, beginning with great sex and ending with the two of them lounging in bed, sipping a great Sumatran blend while they watched an old classic, preferably a Lauren Bacall flick.

She sighed. Even though they had not said the words, she knew she was in love. Every time she saw Molly her stomach fluttered and a smile crossed her face. Their fiery tempers sometimes stalled their feelings, but neither could stay angry for long, and the make-up sex was incredible. She often teased Molly about her loose past, but her days of one-night stands were over. Molly had not ventured into Hideaway since they had become a couple. They were completely committed to each other, but Ari knew that Molly still felt unworthy of her love and insecure about their relationship.

“When will you leave me?” was Molly’s repetitious question, followed by a nervous laugh.

Ari always laughed back, but she could see the fear behind her eyes. “You’re all I want.”

And as quickly as it had come, the doubt was erased momentarily. Bolstering Molly’s confidence, though, was continually necessary, an injection that fueled the romance and gave her the boost she needed. So Ari played the game and things were fine—at least up until a few weeks ago, when Molly began to seem uncomfortable and nervous whenever they shared an intimate moment. As long as the talk remained benign—about work or current events—Molly relaxed. And sex was never an issue, she thought with a smile. Molly was the most capable lover she’d ever known.

She imagined things had changed because there was only one thing left to say. They had reached the apex of familiarity, their family histories explored, their pasts explained and their individual idiosyncrasies accommodated. She knew Molly cared only about her piano and nothing else she owned, and Molly had learned she was meticulous about everything. And now they sat on the ridge between dating and permanent commitment, and she sensed Molly wasn’t sure whether she wanted to move forward. In fact, Ari wasn’t entirely sure either. So they remained in this constant holding pattern, but she knew something had to change soon.

The front door closed and she heard Brian and Lynne’s voices greet the Nelson parents. She wondered if any fireworks were in store, since Brian and his father battled over most subjects posed at the Nelson dinner table. Brian was the true black sheep, and although this was
his
birthday, Ari wasn’t sure Don would be able to curtail the biting criticism that he often hurled at his youngest son. Molly was always the peacemaker, and despite the friction, Ari knew they loved each other. Don would never do to Brian what Jack Adams had done to her. She joined them and gave Lynne a hug.

“I love your blouse,” Lynne said, touching the cotton fabric. “The design is great. Whoever picked that out really knew what she was doing.”

They laughed at the inside joke, remembering their recent shopping trip to Scottsdale Fashion Square. Ari couldn’t decide what to buy and Lynne had made the decision for her. “Yes, my personal shopper has exquisite taste.”

The other adults returned to the kitchen and the family room, leaving Brian and Lynne with her. They grabbed the bottle of wine and glasses before settling on the patio. She curled up on the lounge chair and stared at the couple, cuddling on the swing. They were physical opposites, but their personalities complemented one another. Brian looked the part of a rebel, with his long blond hair, earrings and various tattoos. His appearance was a sharp contrast to Lynne, who was the epitome of class in a button-down pinstriped shirt, pressed chinos and brown loafers. Her dark curly hair barely touched her shoulders and framed a very pleasant face that perpetually smiled. She was only twenty-five, but she was the perfect combination of youth and maturity, possessing a bubbly disposition that was tempered by a level-headed mind. It didn’t surprise her that Lynne was slated to graduate at the top of her architecture class next year.

Brian grabbed the bottle of wine and refilled her glass. “How’s my favorite fellow Libra? I hear your party will be much wilder than this one,” he said with a wink.

Her eyes widened and she glanced from Brian to Lynne, who was already laughing. “What does Jane have planned?”

Brian smiled wickedly. “I’ll never tell.”

She rolled her eyes and sighed, admitting defeat. Jane had apparently sworn everyone to secrecy, and she would just need to pray.

“Hey, don’t worry, at least not too much. It’s going to be great.”

He looked to Lynne for confirmation, and she nodded. “Ari, I think you will approve of most of the festivities.”

“
Most
? What about the rest?” She sunk deeper into the lounge. Jane would do whatever she pleased because she was Jane. “I just hope you both aren’t totally embarrassed,” she said, wondering if after the party she would lose the two best straight friends she had ever had.

Lynne chuckled in response. “Are you kidding? I think it will be hysterical—”

“Shush,” Brian warned. “You’ll give too much away.”

“I’m surprised Jane has any time to plan this party since the whole orchid thing started,” Ari said.

Lynne set her wine on the coffee table and frowned. “Don’t tell me she got another one.”

Ari recounted Jane’s orchid troubles, and she was relieved to find that Brian and Lynne shared her cynicism about the meaning of the orchids. They agreed someone might be enamored with Jane and meant her no harm. As they walked to the dinner table, she felt better about sharing her thoughts with them and not worrying Molly, who didn’t need anything else on her plate. Dinner was uneventful, and Don only took one swipe at Brian’s ego, but a deadly look from his wife brought a quick retraction and the peace wasn’t disturbed again.

As Molly ascended the back steps, she heard laughter and not the sharp words of an argument. Either was possible anytime Brian and their father ate a meal together. She took a deep breath and entered, the smell of her mother’s fried chicken making her mouth water. “Hey, everybody,” she called, dropping her purse on the sideboard. She disappeared into the bathroom, and when she returned, she gave Brian a birthday hug and took the chair next to Ari. “Hi, baby,” she said, covering Ari’s mouth with a sweet kiss.

“Eww . . .” the kids whined, sending the adults into peals of laughter.

“I hope you’re not making some kind of a political statement,” Don Jr. said to Kenny.

Kenny cocked his head to the side, a piece of fried chicken grasped in his small hand. “Huh?”

Several of the adults began talking about the meaning of two women kissing in a straight society, but Molly’s attention remained focused on Ari, who watched the children intently, amused by their antics. She certainly seemed to enjoy kids. Whenever they visited, she was the one who never tired of reading stories, playing baseball or having tea with the dollies. She wondered if Ari wanted a child of her own, a thought she couldn’t fathom. She had not mentioned the subject. In fact there were many subjects she’d delicately sidestepped, too petrified to handle emotional intimacy. Physical intimacy was one thing, and with Ari there were no boundaries, but sharing her greatest fears and vulnerabilities was nearly impossible. She kept those buried deep inside a whiskey bottle. She remained quiet for most of the evening, enjoying her family and her beautiful girlfriend.

“Are you okay?” Ari asked once they had said their good-byes and headed into the night, both armed with leftover boxes from Teddy.

“I’m fine.”

Ari gazed at her intently, and Molly hoped her expression was convincing. She couldn’t handle all the questions that Ari would pose if she suspected her anxieties had surfaced. Ari naturally tried to reassure her every time she sensed Molly was questioning their relationship, and she found Ari’s concern equally annoying and helpful.

She took the easy way out and pulled Ari against her for a deep kiss. “Work was nuts, and I’ve missed you all day.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not now. Maybe later.” She walked Ari to her SUV. “So, it’s still early. Would you like to go to a movie?”

Ari shook her head. “No, there’s nothing I want to see.” She took Molly’s hand and kissed the base of her palm.

Molly grinned, content to play along. “What about a club? Would you like to go hear some jazz?”

“Nope.”

“Bowling?”

Ari smirked. “Too noisy and full of drunks.”

She pressed her against the driver’s side door and let her hands wander up the front of Ari’s blouse. “Coffeehouse?”

“Too public.”

“Drive-in?”

“Too outdoors.” Ari gasped as her thumb caressed the swell of her breast.

“Then what do you want to do tonight?” she whispered.

“You’re definitely on the right track.”

Sunday, October 15th

9:20 AM

When Ari awoke the next morning, she was alone. The phone had rung two hours before, and Molly jumped out of bed. She frowned, trying to remember what Molly said when she kissed her on the cheek and murmured good-bye—nothing like a Sunday morning of the FBI and missing informants to start the week. She rolled onto her back and gazed at the ceiling. Only hours before she’d had a similar view as Molly kissed her belly and let her lips wander southward. Ari’s cell phone chimed, interrupting the memory that was clearly taking hold of her body. She checked the display, hoping it was Molly and dreading to see it was Jane. Given the hour, she doubted Jane was calling with good news.

“Hey, what’s up?”

“Okay, now I’m really freaked out. Isabel called me six times last night. She’s psycho, Ari.”

She sat up in bed and tried to focus. “So what did she say?”

“First, she called to ask me what I liked to eat, you know, for our date. Then she called twice more with her own ideas. I can’t even remember why she called the next two times. By then I was a mess.”

She quickly calculated in her head. “I thought you said it was six times?”

“It was. The last time was a hangup. I answered, but she didn’t say anything. She was probably embarrassed.”