Chapter 7
"Am I interrupting something?" Grace half expected her eldest daughter to have some man lingering in the background. Knowing Brianna, she went through men like they were disposable, one just like the other. Sometimes Grace wished she would settle down, but she also knew that she was her mother's daughter and would never fully be satisfied. Well not until she found that special someone and Grace wanted, hoped that for her. For half-hearted relationships were nothing in comparison to the real deal. Or so Grace was learning. Too late. Much too late.
"No, just about to settle in for Wednesday night's line up of shows. You know I can't miss Empire." Brianna ushered her mom into the door, noting the worried expression, knowing that this wasn't just a regular drop in. Actually, when did Grace just ever drop in on her daughter? "What's going on mom?" Brianna inquired when she got no response from the rather distraught woman that tumbled in and collapsed on her couch.
"Don't you have anything to drink around here?" Grace inquired, realizing she hadn't had a martini all day and she really needed a martini.
"A woman after my own heart. I was just about to shake up a martini. Guess I'll make that two." Brianna disappeared into her kitchen and then returned with two very full, very powerful martinis.
"That's good." Grace applauded after the first burning sip slid down her throat. She ate at the olive, realizing she was hungry after all.
"Should we order a pizza or something?" Brianna seemed to be skating around the issue and for that Grace was thankful.
"Pizza sounds good enough." Grace hadn't had pizza in ages. But it felt like just the comfort food she needed. Some good pizza and martinis and maybe Frankie would drift off and she would never have to think about her again. Maybe the whole day hadn't happened and Allison would be waiting for her if she ventured home.
"You're really subdued right now and I can't believe you actually agreed to pizza." Brianna stared long and hard at her mother after she placed the order. "What have you done with my mother? Where are you hiding her?"
Grace rolled her eyes to the ceiling, her body folding into the couch. Exhausted. "Can I sleep here tonight?" It felt comfortable enough.
"Okay, what happened with Frankie?" Brianna laughed, seeming to catch on to what it was that was happening. Though she had no idea. No earthly clue what was actually going on.
Hey, your mother is gay. Your mom is in love with Frankie. Frankie, that crazy lunatic of a woman who is so loving and kind and generous and helpful and peaceful and good-natured and everything I'm not.
No, she couldn't say any of that.
"Oh, you know." Grace sighed, sipping her martini.
Brianna stared on, still not convinced. "No, I really don't. You fight all the time. You might as well be married."
Grace nearly sputtered out her drink at the words. "Don't be ridiculous, Brianna." Grace wiped at her lips, sitting up so that she could catch her breath.
"God, mom. I was only joking. You and dad can't both be gay." Brianna laughed, but Grace did not.
Brianna's eyes met hers. Watched as Grace's eyes widened in bewilderment.
"Oh, God. Mom." Brianna braced herself on the couch, her Wednesday night shows forgotten. "Oh my God. Did you and Frankie…"
"NO! No, God. No." Grace groaned, clutching for a throw pillow and burying her face in its fabric. "No." But I wish it had.
"Oh my God." Brianna gasped. "What happened, mom?" She pried the pillow from her mother and forced her to look at her. "What happened? Did you kiss Frankie? I always thought you would kiss her first."
"You've played that out in your mind?" Grace grimaced, confusion etched in her brow.
"Oh, Mallory and I have already placed bets. If you tell me that you kissed her first she'll owe me $500. I'm going to call her right now!" Brianna reached for her phone but Grace intercepted, hitting the phone to the ground.
"No one kissed no one first." Grace grasped at her daughter's hands.
"What do you mean? Why are you avoiding Frankie then?" Brianna looked confused.
"I met someone." Grace mumbled over the words.
"I see and what does this have to do with…" Brianna was trying to keep up but Grace's lack of detail kept her at a loss. Grace was at a loss that her own daughters had betted upon her and Frankie kissing. Was it so obvious to everyone except herself?
"She met Frankie today."
"Wait!" Brianna gasped. "Wait, you met a woman?"
Grace nodded, pulling the pillow back into her lap and wrapping her arms about it as if it were a teddy bear.
"You're with a woman?"
"Was with a woman." Grace corrected, finding it painful to word. "Frankie ruined it."
"How did Frankie ruin it Did she do some voodoo bullshit and scare her away?" Brianna's brow was so creased that the lines in her forehead looked nearly permanent.
"Because I'm in love with her." Grace whispered.
"You're in love with this woman?" Brianna was not following.
"No," Grace sighed. "With Frankie."
Brianna's face shifted from confused to amused to shocked. "Oh my God."
"I know." Grace moaned into the pillow, falling back into the couch again. "Can I stay here?"
Brianna, miraculously, had no words.
"Say something!" Grace finally yelled, slapping her daughter with the pillow. "Don't make me feel crazier than I already do."
"Mom," Brianna scooted a little closer to her. "Mom, I'm so proud of you! I feel like I need to hug you."
"Why?" Grace felt awkward as her daughter's arms wrapped about her and she was pulled into the strangest hug of her life.
"Mom, everyone knew you were crazy about her. You've finally admitted it out loud. And now you can tell her and you guys can go be gay together or whatever. You already live together so you're already like fifty steps ahead of other lesbians."
"Brianna, be reasonable. I don't even know if she feels the same." Grace worried her lip.
"Oh Mom, please. She might not have admitted it to herself yet, but trust me. You have nothing to worry about." Brianna patted her just as the pizza arrived. "You're going to stuff your face and then we're going to get this sorted out. And if you haven't answered one of the fifty calls from Frankie that I see flashing on your phone then you should probably let her know where you are. You know she hates being at the beach house alone."
Grace groaned. It was like her daughter and Frankie were in cahoots together. Why was Grace always the responsible party that had to protect everyone?
Later that evening, once Brianna was in tucked away in her own bed and Grace was left to the guest room she picked up her phone, staring at the missed calls and texts. All from Frankie.
'I'm sorry, Grace.'
'Eating all the salt in the house.'
'Please call me. Just let me know ur ok.'
'Need Del Taco. ASAP. 911.'
There were voicemail messages left, too.
"Message number five. I have pulled out the bag of tater tots. I am about to prepare them in the microwave because they are delicious. I really enjoyed those gummy bears you let me have today at lunch."
"Message number eight, Grace. Please just…let me know you're okay. I'm…I'm sorry, okay? It was a little irresponsible to get high today. Your girlfriend is pretty. Very young. How old did you say she was?"
"Message number ten. Call me. I'm watching this show on HGTV about those tiny houses Coyote has. Maybe I should get one, too. What do you think? I could get chickens then. Well, actually where would you keep chickens in a tiny house that moves?"
Grace found tears pouring down her cheeks, no longer annoyed by Frankie's antics. Finding them somehow endearing. She should call her back, should let her know she was alive and okay.
"Grace!" Frankie practically screamed through the phone. "Where are you? Are you okay?"
"I'm okay, Frankie. I'm at Brianna's. I'm staying here tonight." Grace explained levelheadedly. Not too much detail, just enough.
"Was I that awful today?" Frankie pouted through the phone.
"No, of course not." Grace sighed. "Can we talk about this tomorrow?" Yes, she would put it off. She would wait and then maybe her feelings would evaporate overnight and she could go back to Allison.
"You promise you're not at Allison's? The last time you lied about sleeping over at one of your daughter's houses…"
"Frankie, I'm not lying about anything. I am at Brianna's." Grace's steady voice seemed to assure Frankie of this fact.
"Did I ruin things?"
Grace squeezed her eyes shut, fighting off the tears. No, she hadn't. Not really. "No…no, Frankie let me explain tomorrow. In person. Please."
"Okay." Frankie didn't sound assured of this. "But Grace?"
"Yes, Frankie."
"Make sure you bring me Del Taco. And some more sprinkles."
"Frankie?"
"Yes, Grace?"
"Did you really eat the tater tots?"
"Of course not. I threw them out."
"Good," Grace smiled up at the ceiling. "Good night, Frankie."
"You'll be here if I need to call you in the middle of the night?"
"Of course, Frankie." Grace rolled her eyes, wiping at the crease of the left one.
"Good night, Grace."
