It was the first full day of their short getaway at the Grand Kimberly Hotel. The eight A.M. sun found a small gap in the closed drapes to peek through and formed shadows on the light grey walls. Jo awoke to the familiar sound of Blair's soft snoring. She opened her eyes and smiled at the sight of a crystal vase filled with orange roses starting to open.
A tangle of arms and legs resided under the thick pink and lavender duvet. Barely awake, Jo wasn't sure where one set began and the other ended. Once she realized her leg was asleep, she knew whose was whose. She slowly tried to release her leg from underneath Blair's so as not to wake her.
Blair mumbled in a sleep hoarse voice, her eyes still closed. "Jo, you have stubble."
Jo chuckled. "Well good mornin' to you too Princess. Your legs don't exactly feel like a baby's rear end either."
The tomboy expected a snappy comeback but heard more snoring instead. It felt nice being snuggled up against her partner's warm, naked body and she drifted off again, her arm around Blair's waist.
A short while later both women were jolted awake by a loud rattling sound from outside. Jo shot to an upright position.
"What the f-"
"Babe, it's just a jackhammer," Blair broke in. "They're tearing up the sidewalk out front."
The brunette grumbled in frustration. "At home we have the neighbor hammerin' at six in the mornin' so naturally at this ritzy hotel they bring out the big guns." She thought for a second and a corner of her mouth turned up to form the start of a smile. "I didn't hear it before. Your snorin' musta drowned it out."
Blair huffed and folded her arms. "A Warner does not snore."
"Well, the one I'm married to does," Jo smirked. She put her arms in front of her face to block the pillow that was being swung in her direction.
"You!" Blair laughed. "You know just how to push my buttons, even first thing in the morning."
The brunette raised her eyebrows and grinned wickedly. "Seems to me I pushed 'em pretty good last night too."
"Hmmm..." The blonde paused momentarily. "Let me see if I remember how to push yours."
More laughter could be heard from under the covers as Blair pulled them up over their heads.
The day was getting off to a good start.
Later on, Jo had just gotten out of the shower and came into the bedroom wrapped in a thick bath towel when she saw Blair hang up her phone.
"Crap," Blair said with disgust.
"What's wrong honey?" Jo asked as she toweled her hair dry.
"I have to go into the office today. I shouldn't be all day but I'm still pissed. There's a problem with the Brennan project once again and as usual my very well paid assistant can't handle it."
"Don't worry about it," Jo told her. "I'll find somethin' to do."
Blair took off her red silk robe and stepped behind the glass doors of the black marble shower. "You don't mind? I feel guilty."
"Nah, it's okay. I like this place. Even our townhouse doesn't have two fireplaces like this suite does. I can put my feet up and take a nap if I want, I can go downstairs and play pool or order room service and pig out. I'll be fine. In fact Blair, this hotel is so nice I think you should buy it," Jo winked.
"Good lord," the blonde snorted. "Are you kidding?"
"Yes Princess, I'm kidding," the tomboy laughed. "I'm gonna order up some breakfast. What do ya want?"
"Nothing thanks. I'll just grab some coffee when I get downstairs. The sooner I leave, the sooner I can be back here."
"Okay babe," Jo said as she slipped on her worn denims. "Call me when you're gettin' ready to leave the office."
"You got it."
Jo had a pleasant day of napping, sitting by the massive indoor pool and indulging in gourmet chocolate. She was glad she had taken a few vacation days to just relax.
Blair called to say she was just cleaning up some odds and ends and would meet Jo downstairs in the bar. They would play a couple games of pool and have an early dinner. The tomboy was looking forward to playing on one of the mahogany tables she fell in love with the night before and made her way downstairs.
In the dim light of the bar, Jo saw faces different than the evening before but the crowd was still mostly business people drinking martinis and throwing figures around. As she sat at the marble counter drinking a black and tan, she caught a glimpse of a familiar face out of the corner of her eye. She looked up and glared at the portly figure walking toward her. It was Jimmy, one of her most vivid memories from the previous night's visit to the bar, sans spray on hair. His grey suit was neatly pressed and this time his blue striped tie was minus stains. It was a great improvement, but Jo was still agitated by his presence. Jimmy saw the look on her face and quickly held up his hand in surrender.
"I come in peace."
Jo scowled in classic Polniaczek fashion. "What do ya want Jimmy?"
"I see you remember me." He smiled tentatively.
"How could I not?" Jo sneered. "You startled my wife, gave me heartburn, and generally made a jack ass outta yourself. What's to forget?"
"I'm sorry about that."
Jo thought he seemed sincere as he continued to speak.
"I've been going through some personal stuff and was feeling sorry for myself. My buddies told me about the things I did and most of it I don't even remember." He held up his glass and smiled. "Just to be safe, I'm drinking root beer tonight."
"Root beer?" Jo smiled and reflected back to simpler times. "God, I haven't had that since I was twelve. My dad used to take me for a root beer float after I finished my Saturday chores."
"Well if you want a good root beer float these days you have to go to Sposato's on Heinzer Street," Jimmy suggested. "They use that old fashioned root beer. It's the best."
"I'll have to remember that." Jo extended her hand. "I'm Jo Polniaczek."
"Jimmy Cassieri. Good to meet you."
Jimmy shook Jo's hand enthusiastically as he realized she could've just as easily punched his face in.
"So Jim, do ya shoot pool?"
"Yeah, sometimes."
"Wanna take me on?"
"You got it Jo."
Some of the sadness left Jimmy's eyes and Jo noticed he seemed lonely. She looked in the immediate vicinity and made a frustrated face.
"Crap. I forgot my cue stick."
Jimmy's eyes widened. "You have a custom stick?"
"Yeah. Blair, my wife got it for me a couple years ago. She calls me her favorite pool shark," Jo snickered. "Speakin' of Blair, I wonder where she is. She's habitually late."
Just then Blair came breezing through the door, turning the usual heads. Smartly dressed in a black Armani suit with her normal air of confidence, she caught the attention of a bearded gentleman who looked up from his cocktail and flashed a smile at her. Jo's warning glare from across the room quickly changed his demeanor. He looked away and feigned interest in the boxing match on the flat screen above the bar.
"I'm sorry sweetheart. The traffic is awful today," Blair explained. She saw Jimmy standing there and stopped in her tracks to give Jo a bewildered 'what the fuck' look.
"Hi honey." Jo greeted her partner with a quick kiss and put her arm around her waist. "Blair, this is Jimmy. Jimmy, this is my wife, Blair." Jo grinned with pride.
"Yes, I remember." Blair sighed and didn't hide her annoyance. Then she recalled when she was a little girl, her mother told her to always be a well-mannered lady no matter what. She extended her hand in courtesy. "Hello. I'm Blair Warner."
Jimmy shook her hand briskly. "Jimmy Cassieri here."
Blair continued looking at Jo with questions in her eyes, showing her obvious displeasure.
"Ms. Warner, I'm glad to see you here as I need to apologize for last night. I made you uncomfortable and I'm sorry." Jimmy took a sip from his glass and smiled. "Tonight I'm drinking the real hard stuff. Root beer."
Blair cracked a smile. "Well Jimmy, if you're ever looking for a root beer float you must go to Sposato's on Heinzer Street. They make the best ones around. By the way, you can call me Blair."
Jo was puzzled at the sudden revelation over root beer floats. "Babe, he just finished tellin' me that and I never even heard of the place. And what's this with root beer floats? I don't think I've ever seen ya have one."
Blair glanced over at Jimmy, then back at Jo and smiled with a look of mischief on her face. "Maybe you need to get out more. I can't speak for Jimmy but I know you're not as worldly as I am," she teased.
"Blair," Jo smirked. "We're talkin' about ice cream here. Not the French Riviera."
Jimmy watched them going back and forth, chuckling at their banter.
Blair raised her head smugly. "Blair Warner has many facets."
Jo rolled her eyes. "Oh, please."
"Well!" The blonde huffed and folded her arms, reminiscent of Jack Benny.
"Blair?" Jo smiled warmly.
"Yes Jo?"
"I love you."
Blair took her partner's hand and tightly squeezed it. "I love you too Joey."
Jo raised a cue stick. "Hon, I was just about to kick Jim's butt at pool. Care to watch?"
"Oh I wouldn't miss it, especially when you bend over to take a shot." Blair had that special glint in her eyes and the tomboy blushed in embarrassment.
Although total opposites, Jimmy found the couple to be very genuine with one another. Jo, with her slightly gruff exterior and Blair with her woman of the world attitude seemed perfectly matched.
The cracking sound of Jo taking her first shot jolted Jimmy out of his thoughts and he knew the game would be over pretty much before it started. The determined Bronx native was on a roll. In a short while Jo had cleared the table and Jimmy bowed his head in defeat.
Blair grabbed a cue stick enthusiastically. "I play the winner."
"Sheesh!" Jimmy exclaimed. "I usually have a drink after I get my ass beaten so badly."
"I'll have a drink for you Jimmy," Blair offered.
"Do you like Southern Comfort?"
"I can like it for you tonight," Blair quipped.
"Princess, watch it with that stuff. It sneaks up on ya," Jo cautioned. "Remember last time?"
The heiress waved her arm dismissively. "Oh, nonsense."
"Have it your way hon, but don't say I didn't warn ya."
Oh boy. The tomboy said to herself. This is gonna be interesting.
Back at their suite, Blair had a close up and personal view of Jo's left shoe. It was a black New Balance walking shoe with a scuff on the toe. Focusing on it seemed to help stop the room from spinning as she lay in a nauseous lump on the bathroom floor. She heard voices fading in and out.
"Jimmy, thanks for your help. I woulda had a hard time gettin' Blair up here by myself."
"No problem Jo. Southern Comfort can catch up with you." Jimmy pointed to himself. "I would know."
Jo saw him out into the pristine white hallway, which was accentuated with fresh flowers. "Thanks again Jim. I'll see you around."
"Bye Blair," Jimmy called out to the heiress. "Hope you feel better."
"Uggghhh," Blair groaned.
Jo walked back into the bathroom where her partner still laid in a groaning heap on the cool ceramic tile and got down on one knee beside her. "Can I help ya up?"
"Uggghhh," Blair moaned. "Don't touch me. I think I'm going to be sick."
"C'mon, up we go."
Jo helped her to her feet and they walked into the bedroom where she collapsed on the bed.
"Blair, can I do somethin' for ya?"
Silence.
"Princess?"
The blonde was out cold.
Jo shook her head. "Warner, ya never listen to me. Ya always hafta have it your way." She smiled and kissed her softly on the forehead.
The tomboy got her spouse undressed and pulled the comforter over her. She changed into a t-shirt and sweats as she heard Blair's familiar soft snoring once again. Wanting to keep a watchful eye on her princess during the night, Jo stretched out on the chaise lounge across from the bed.
"G'night Princess," Jo said softly. "You're gonna have one helluva headache tomorrow."
Blair slept through the night and woke up to find Jo in the chaise lounge.
"Jo?" Blair tapped her wife on the shoulder. "Jo?"
Jo jumped awake. "What? What? What's the matter? You okay?"
"Why are you in the chair?"
Jo's eyes were little slits as she could hardly keep them open.
"What time is it?" Jo rubbed her eyes.
"It's seven o'clock," Blair replied.
"Oh man, I just fell asleep about fifteen minutes ago," the brunette answered with a yawn.
"You were in the chair all night? Why?"
"I just wanted to make sure you were okay. Are ya?"
"Aside of the fact that my head will fall off any minute now, I'm fine. You didn't have to stay sitting up all night."
"I think I may have dozed off here and there." Jo yawned once more.
"Jo, I didn't mean to worry you. I'm fine. Why don't you crawl into bed and take a nap for a little while? I have to check my e-mail."
"Aren't you joinin' me?" Jo asked with a sleepy pout as she climbed into the king sized canopy bed.
"Yes. I'll be right beside you. Always Jo."
The Bronx native's sleepy pout turned into a toothy grin.
Blair got into bed and sat with her laptop. "It's amazing to me how modern society ever functioned without Wi-Fi."
Jo rested her head on her partner's shoulder and yawned again while Blair thought back to a lifetime ago and laughed softly.
"Jo, do you remember Mr. Kotowski's typing class our junior year at Eastland? What a jerk he was. Didn't you try to knock the toupee off his head once?"
The brunette didn't respond to the question as she had dozed off on Blair's shoulder with a peaceful smile on her face.
"I love you too Joey," Blair whispered as she kissed the top of her head.
Blair dozed off again for a couple of hours and when she awoke Jo was still asleep on her shoulder. She was sleeping so soundly she didn't even stir when Blair got out from underneath her and gently laid her head on a pillow.
"You nut. You shouldn't have stayed in the chaise lounge all night but I love you for it," the heiress said quietly.
Blair heard Jo on the phone when she stepped out of the shower. She threw on khakis and a light sweater. Jo had opened the blinds and the bright morning sun was cheery and lit up the room. However, the brightness also magnified the pain in Blair's head from the previous evening's Southern Comfort. She put her hand over her eyes and groaned.
"Southern Comfort? Shit. More like southern torture."
"I have the aspirin over here for you Princess," Jo said, lightly shaking the bottle.
"Thanks honey," Blair said after swallowing two. "Who was that on the phone?"
"That was Edna."
Blair's face lit up. "Oh, how is she?"
"She's doin' okay. You know ol' Edna. Though after all those years of callin' her Mrs. G. or Mrs. Garrett it's just so weird callin' her by her first name."
"Yes I know," Blair agreed.
"She wants to stop over tomorrow. We're not doin' anything, right?"
"No," the blonde replied, "unless we decide to get started on cleaning the basement that you were supposed to clean six months ago."
"C'mon, not the basement again," Jo whined.
"I don't understand why we can't just get somebody in to do it," Blair complained.
'"Cause I don't want anyone touchin' my stuff. That's why."
Blair sighed. "Like your old motocross magazines you haven't looked at for twenty years? And let's not forget your autographed photo of George Clooney."
"That's right Princess. They're probably in the same box as all your teen magazines with Kristy McNichol on the cover. Don't think I didn't see ya lookin' at her and droolin' all those years ago," Jo smirked.
"Okay. Okay," Blair said in defeat. "I looked, but I never drooled."
"Bullshit," Jo challenged, with folded arms and a knowing smile.
"Umm...okay, a few times," the heiress confessed.
Jo rolled her eyes.
"Well..." Blair added, "she was so hot in 'Little Darlings.'"
"Then I guess we better pick up some paper towels on the way home just in case, ya pervert," Jo snickered.
Blair's tone changed to serious as she reached out to touch Jo's hand.
"Jo, I'm sorry I ruined your evening. Thanks for not saying 'I told you so."'
"No sweat Blair." Jo smiled tenderly. "I love watchin' ya sleep. Plus I'm used to your snorin'," she teased.
The blonde frowned. "I do not snore," she said emphatically.
Jo sighed. "Okay fine. You don't snore."
"Thank you. We finally agreed on something," Blair said as she walked into the other room.
"Oh yes ya do," Jo muttered under her breath.
Blair yelled from the other room. "I heard that!"