"So, you are going over to Mrs. Montgomery's house for supper, right? I mean, she did call about a hundred times to find out what you would like and all that."
Helen looked up from the table, her brow furrowing. She had been a million miles away in thought, and she smiled up at her daughter. "Run that past me again, sweetie?"
"Mom. You and Dad, supper plans at the Montgomery's? You can't back out on her now, she sounded really nervous about you coming over, and, well, I think she misses Judith as much as I do still."
There was something about the tone of her daughter's voice that made Helen really look at her, noticing the sad look in her eyes, the almost pleading way eyebrows turned up. Finally, she nodded. "Yes, I remember that, honey. Your father is picking up a nice bottle of wine to take over with us. Why are you so worked up over this?"
Joan plopped down in the chair next to her, shrugging a little. "I just, you were there for her when Judith died, and I think you should still be there for her. Sometimes, people struggle with their feelings, even when they are a psychologist."
Helen teared up a little and reached her hand out to caress Joan's cheek. "When did you grow up, Joanie?" Her daughter rolled her eyes, but still nuzzled her face into her hand. "Don't wait up for us, though, if we don't get home at a decent time. Sometimes adults tend to talk well into the evening."
"All right, Mom. I'm heading over to Grace's. Don't do anything that I wouldn't do!" Joan got up and tugged on her coat before picking up her bag and heading out the door. Helen sighed a little and picked up her coffee mug, taking a swallow of too cool coffee.
Another sigh escaped her lips as she stood and made her way over to the garage, wanting to focus on her painting for a little bit before changing for supper. It was so easy to lose herself in her work, and she jumped a little when she felt a large, warm, hand on her shoulder. Turning slightly, she smiled at Will. "Yes?"
"We have to be at Fran's in less than an hour, and you're not even ready."
"Oh, I didn't realize how much time had gone by. I'll just wash my hands and change, I should be ready in just a short little bit." Leaning up, she kissed him tenderly, relishing the feel of his lips against hers. "If you do that, we really will be late this evening, hon."
"Don't tempt me, woman. But I don't want to disappoint our Joan, she's had a tough few weeks, and this seemed important to her for some reason."
Helen nodded and stood, wrapping her arms around her husband's waist. "She's trying to find closure, Will. It's had to have a friend murdered, even more so when you're her age." He pressed his lips against the top of her head and rubbed her back softly. "Thank you."
"Any time, Helen." He kissed her once more before pushing her away towards the door to the house. She stumbled up to their room and opened the closet doors, looking for something to wear. Helen quickly settled on a soft pink blouse and swishy black skirt before changing with as much haste as she could muster.
Smiling at her reflection, she smoothed out a few wrinkles in her skirt and then sashayed from the room, joining her husband in the garage and letting him open the door for her. After she had settled herself in the seat, she looked up at her husband and was rewarded with a soft kiss. "Do I look all right?" she softly asked as he slipped behind the wheel and started the car.
"You look beautiful, as you always do to me." Will wasn't one for soft words, preferring to tell her things that mattered by look or touch, and she smiled gently as she reached out and touched his shoulder.
The drive over to the Montgomery home didn't take long, and Helen found herself listening to the soft strains of jazz. She knew her husband tended to listen to this when he was trying to relax after a stressful day on the job, and she wondered what was on his mind. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"Maybe later, now's not the right time." She nodded and rested her head back against the seat, humming along to a song she knew as he pulled into the driveway. The porch light was one and she saw Fran peek out the window a little. There was something beautifully sad about her face and she frowned. She shouldn't find pain beautiful. Should she? "Are you ready to head in?"
"Yes, dear." She let a soft smile spread across her lips as she got out and joined him on the driver's side. In his hands were two bottles of red wine, and she pursed her lips a little. "Fran said that she was making us steak for supper. Red wine goes better with steak." She nodded, mentally reminding herself to limit her intake.
Together, they walked up the three steps and Helen pressed the doorbell. Almost before the echo of the ring passed, Fran was opening the door, a smile on her lips. "Thank you for coming this evening. Bill had to fill in at the last minute for one of his colleagues, they fell ill and he jumped in to take their place at the conference. I hope you don't mind."
Helen shook her head. "It will be nice to be here with you, Fran. We've haven't gotten together in some time."
A distressed look passed over Fran's face, and Helen bit her lip, upset at herself for hurting the woman. "I've just been so busy, you know. Papers don't write themselves." She shrugged a little, looking up at the ceiling, and she couldn't help but step forward and wrap the woman into a tight hug. Fran seemed to melt into the embrace, her head coming to rest heavily on her shoulder. A shuddery breath expelled from her lungs and Helen just rubbed her back, looking at Will helplessly.
"Is that garlic I smell, Fran?" her husband asked and she looked up, turning her body a bit. Helen could tell that she was pulling away from them, mentally shoring herself once more.
"Yes. I remembered that you like garlic." A shy smile flickered over her face as she saw the bottles in his hand. "What wine did you bring?"
"Two bottles of Evans and Tate Redbrook. Helen and I have come to love the taste of their Cabernet." She nodded and held out her hands, taking the bottles from him. "Do you need any help with anything?"
"No, I'll just go set these on the table and then bring out the plates. They're warming in the oven right now."
"Please, let me help you," Helen found herself saying and she was rewarded with another shy, soft, smile and a slight dip of Fran's chin. "Honey, make sure you pour us each a glass of the wine, and do not skimp." Will nodded and smiled at them as they went to the kitchen.
"So, how's Joan doing?" Fran asked as they stepped over to the oven. She opened the door and reached in, pulling out the first plate and handing it to Helen.
"It's hard to tell with her. She has good days and bad days, and she doesn't talk to me much anymore."
Fran made a noncommittal noise in the back of her throat and Helen sighed lightly, realizing that she had made yet another misstep. "Do you think she would mind coming over and talking to me? Telling me stories about Judith?"
The hesitancy in her voice tugged at Helen's mother's heart, and she nodded. "I can make sure she does that."
"Thank you." Fran pulled out the other two plates and began to make her way to the dining room, Helen trailing after her. She smiled at Will, who was already sitting down, his glass of wine in hand. "Is it a good vintage?"
"The best, Fran." She dipped her head slightly as she set one plate down in front of him, putting the other down in front of her as she sat. Helen took the seat on Fran's left hand. "Do you say grace or anything before you eat?"
"No, not usually. But if you do, please, feel free." Again, she was so accommodating to them, as if she couldn't stand to upset them. Helen reached out and gently covered Fran's hand, squeezing a little before picking up her glass and sipping at the wine. It was a little stronger than their usual wine, but she went with it, needing something to calm her nerves.
Helen shook her head and dug into the food, groaning in pleasure as she took a bite of the garlic mashed potatoes. She detected a slight hint of cheese that made the flavors burst in her mouth. Glancing across the table at her husband, she saw him grinning at her, shaking his head slightly. Shrugging, she took another bite before cutting into her steak, finding it cooked perfectly to her tastes.
It was a mostly silent meal, though they all kept drinking the wine, refilling their glasses when necessary. After they had cleared their plates, Fran took a deep breath. "I made cake for us, for dessert. We could have it in the living room."
"Let me help you with the dishes, then, Fran."
"No, I'll just stick them in the washer. Make yourselves comfortable, okay?" She stood quickly and picked up their plates, almost scurrying from the room. Helen shook her head and picked up her glass, topping it off with the last of the second bottle. She was feeling a slight buzz from the alcohol and tried not to giggle as she tripped over a slight hump in the rug.
"Careful there, Helen," her husband said as he took her arm in his and led her into the living room. They sat on the couch and she looked at him, sadness sweeping over her as she realized how many pictures there were of Judith. "What?"
"We need to comfort her, honey. It's one of the Beatitudes. Those who mourn will be comforted." His brow wrinkled in confusion and she shrugged a little. "It's the right thing to do. Her husband isn't comforting her, that much is obvious. You can see the pain in her eyes. She needs someone to make her feel loved and lovely once more, even if it is for only one night."
"And aren't you worried that that would make things awkward?"
"No." She smiled brilliantly at her husband, and he just shook his head. "I know you think this is stupid, Will, but I want to do this. Even Joan said that we need to make sure she's okay. Please?"
She heard and felt the sigh that erupted from Will and knew that she had won. "Fine, I consent. If she agrees." She nodded and snuggled close to him for a moment, sipping at her wine.
A few moments later, Fran bustled into the room, a tray in her hands. "I forgot to ask, but I hope that you like spice cake. I haven't had it in so long, I'm the only one in the family who likes it, so it's rare I have to opportunity to enjoy it."
Helen smiled kindly at her as she nodded. "I love spice cake." She took the small plate from Fran's hand, letting her fingers caress the back of her hand as she continued to smile. As she watched, the woman's cheeks flushed and she shifted her shoulders slightly, as if trying to shake off some feeling she did not want. "And I see that you made the caramel frosting, too. How…delicious."
A soft sound of assent broke from Fran's lips as she unconsciously leaned in to Helen. Will caught her eye and she dipped her chin slightly as her smile widened. Transferring her plate to her other hand, Helen wrapped her fingers around Fran's wrist, rubbing her thumb back and forth over the pulse point. "Helen?"
"Just, comforting you, honey." Fran nodded before pulling her wrist away and handing another plate to Will. Helen picked up her wine glass and took another sip, relishing the heavy taste of it in her throat. Fran sat in the chair next to Will's end of the couch and focused on her dessert, her flush growing more pronounced.
"I thought we were going to talk this evening?" Will asked after swallowing a chunk of cake. "So, does anyone have anything to talk about?"
"The cake is wonderful. The flavors just explode in my mouth." Helen pinned her gaze on Fran, willing her to look up. Fran's eyes did dart up for just a moment, and Helen noticed how they had taken on a stormy grey hue, as if desire really was clouding them over. "Will your husband be gone for a long time, Fran?"
"A week. He's out in San Diego, and said he wanted to take a few days to explore after the conference was over." A flicker of sorrow quickly passed over Fran's face and she refocused on the cake. "I'll be all right, I've been alone before."
"You shouldn't have to be." Helen sighed lightly, finishing her cake before drinking down the last of her wine. "It hurts to be alone, especially when all you want is the tender feel of a hand on your body, caressing you, bringing you pleasure." Fran shifted in her chair as she looked away, and Helen used that as her opportunity to stand up and move over to Fran's side. "Wouldn't you like to feel some pleasure tonight?" she asked as she knelt in front of the woman, reaching up to caress her face.
"Maybe," she whispered, turning her face so that she could kiss Helen's palm. Her eyes closed heavily at the feel of her lips against the sensitive skin there, and she leaned forward, her lips puckering slightly. The moment Fran's lips pressed against her, she knew that this was the right thing to do, and she groaned slightly when Fran's fingers dug into her hair, holding her close. "Would you like to take this upstairs?" she asked lowly, and Helen opened her eyes, nodding slightly.
"And am I invited to this party?" Languidly, Helen turned to look at her husband, nodding slightly. From the corner of her eye, she saw Fran nod slightly, too, and she smirked at her husband, holding out her hand to him.
Will helped her to her feet before reaching out and tugging Fran out of her chair. Helen smiled as Fran wobbled a little, only righting herself by wrapping an arm around her waist. "You'll have to show us where your bedroom is Fran. We've never been upstairs before," she murmured in her ear, nipping the lobe lightly.
Fran nodded, a tiny whimper escaping her lips as she leaned further into Helen. "Follow me," she said a bit brokenly before running her hand up and down Helen's side, brushing up against the underside of her breast as they walked along. Desire battled with the alcohol in her system, making her feel nice and light and wonderful. Somehow they made it up the stairs and Fran turned her into the first door on the left.
Helen stepped away from Fran and began to fiddle with the top button on her blouse. The other woman reached out and stilled her hands, once more biting her lip in hesitation. "Yes, Frannie?"
"May I?" Helen nodded and watched Will sit on the bed, toeing off his shoes and socks before beginning to strip himself, his eyes never leaving them. Fran's fingers were slow, pushing the buttons out of their holes. "I've never done anything like this before, you know. I could go on and on about the various psychological explanations that justify this, but somehow, all I feel is that this is the right thing."
She leaned in and kissed Helen softly, her fingers darting beneath her blouse to caress the tops of her breasts. The soft hesitation in her touches caused Helen to smile against her lips, and she maneuvered the woman over to the bed, pushing her down and straddling her waist. "You taste ever so delicious," she murmured as she pulled her lips away from Fran's. "I wonder if your skin tastes the same?"
Gently, she pushed Fran back to that she was laying on the mattress, staring up at her. Dipping her head down once more, she pressed kisses against her neck, her fingers nimbly unbuttoning the blouse the woman wore. Fran had on a white, lacy, bra, and Helen smiled at the sweet naiveté on display. "Helen, are you going to spend all night just staring?"
She turned to look at her husband, shaking her head a little when she saw that he was down to just his boxers already. "Some things just cannot be rushed, my dear husband. Fran, could you scoot back to rest against the headboard?"
Fran nodded and slipped her arms out of the blouse, handing it to Will. Helen began to place soft, open-mouthed, kisses against the skin of her chest while her hands made quick work of the skirt Fran wore. She felt more than saw Will move behind her and begin to finish undressing her.
It didn't take long for Fran to arch up against her, and she used the opportunity to unhook her bra and tug it off her body, letting it fall to the floor. She smiled when she found that her nipples were stiff already, and she dragged her mouth down the swell of the woman's breasts before flicking her tongue against the nub. Fran's whole body just seemed to melt and arch at the same time, and she moaned a little before beginning to suck on her nipple, scoring her teeth over it as she felt Will cup her own breasts, teasing her nipples to peaks that he tugged and twisted.
"Helen." Her name came out of Fran's mouth as something like a broken whisper and she smiled as she pulled more of the soft fleshy globe into her mouth. "More." Fran buried her hand in Helen's hair, tugging her away from her breast and pushing her down. She smiled as she took the hint, pressing kisses against the skin of her stomach, taking time to trace her c-section scar with her tongue as she pulled the woman's panties down. Will removed them as she fitted herself between Fran's legs and breathed in the scent of desire that just poured off her.
"You smell delicious." She kept returning to that word; it seemed to be the only one that described Fran. Her hips tipped up in clear invitation, and Helen nodded before feasting on the succulent flesh in front of her. As she went down on the woman, she could feel Will sliding his hands down her stomach, slipping his fingers between her folds and teasing her clit. "Will," she moaned against Fran's vulva and he pressed a soft kiss between her shoulder blades before entering her.
Pleasure overwhelmed her senses and she redoubled her efforts on Fran, determined to get her off before Will caused her to orgasm. She could tell the moment Fran's body crested, as her thighs tightened around her head. Helen continued to eat Fran out, even as her own orgasm washed over her.
Coming down off their mutual high, she collapsed on the bed next to Fran, smiling gently as she felt the woman stroke her hair lightly. "Would you hold me?" Fran whispered, sounding hesitant and lost once more. Helen nodded and shimmied around until she was stretched out along her body, her arms wrapping around her waist.
Fran turned to her, starting to weep copiously as she clung to Helen. Helplessly, she looked down at her husband and motioned with her head for him to spoon up alongside Fran as well. He took the hint, and they cocooned her in warmth. "I have something to tell you, Frannie, something that might ease your heart a little," she whispered as she ran her fingers through her short blonde hair. "Those who mourn are blessed, for they will be comforted. If you ever need comforting, let us know. Okay?"
She nodded before burrowing close to her, nuzzling her face into her neck. Helen continued to comb her hair, knowing how much the motion soothed her when she was disconsolate. "Thank you, Helen. He hasn't touched me since…you know. I know he thinks I failed him and our family. A colleague said that was normal, a typically human response. But I'm still hurting."
Helen sighed deeply as she pressed her lips to Fran's forehead, holding her close as she began to hum lowly under her breath. Soon, she had lulled the woman to sleep and she looked at her husband over her shoulder. "I can't leave her like this, Will. If you want, you can head home, but she needs me. Tell the kids that we ended up talking into the night, okay?"
He nodded and kissed her sweetly, stroking her cheek before getting up and covering them both with the covers. "I love you."
"I love you, too." She watched him pick up their clothes, folding them before tugging on his own clothes. "I'll see you tomorrow." Will came back over to her side and kissed her once more before heading out the door. Helen turned her attention back to Fran, snuggling her up closer to her as she let her eyes flutter closed.
As she relaxed in to sleep, she felt Fran's lips press soft kisses to her neck, and she wondered how long it had been since she had felt a tender touch. Sighing lightly, she rubbed the woman's back, hoping that she had brought some little bit of comfort to her life, even if only for just a short time.