VIII
Slow down, you move too fast Hello, lamppost, what'cha knowin'? I got no deeds to do
You got to make the morning last
Just kicking down the cobblestones
Looking for fun and feelin' groovy
Ba da da da da da da, feelin' groovy
I've come to watch your flowers growin'
Ain't'cha got no rhymes for me?
Doot-in doo-doo, feelin' groovy
Ba da da da da da da, feelin' groovy
No promises to keep
I'm dappled and drowsy and ready to sleep
Let the morning time drop all its petals on me
Life, I love you
All is groovy...
The 59th Street Bridge Song, Simon and Garfunkel
Two Days Later, Peekskill
The Four Musketeers basically mobbed Edna Garrett when they saw her that afternoon on the Eastland campus. It was the first time in many moons that they had all been together and not dealing with a crisis of some sort. Those in attendance were in a celebratory mood. It wasn't just Edna and her girls, along with Jo and Blair's children, but Bailey, Evie, and Rose and Charlie Polniaczek.
When Natalie introduced Mrs. G. to Curt, Mrs. G. was a wide-eyed as Tootie had been when meeting Nat's guy. "Oh, my, Mr. Tompkins, the pleasure is all mine." Natalie rolled her eyes while the others laughed.
Curt, ever the gentleman, grasped one of Edna's hands, kissing the back of it. "No, Mrs. Garrett, from everything that Natalie and the other girls have told me, it is entirely mine. You were a mentor to these four lovely ladies, and I thank you for that."
Again, Natalie rolled her eyes.
"Watch it, there, Green", Jo said, nudging her friend, "Mrs. G's a smooth operator you know."
This time Edna simply blushed, making everyone laugh with delight.
Mrs. G. tried to change the subject. "Isn't Boots and her girlfriend supposed to be here as well?"
"She's on her way, Mrs. Garrett", Blair informed her. "Those two barely get a day off, but they wanted to tend to a few things at their studio before heading up here."
Within forty-five minutes, Boots and Georgia arrived, Natalie and Dorothy anxious to get a look at their former classmate and her girlfriend. Like Blair and Jo, they had tolerated Boots at Eastland, mostly because of her eccentric ways, but never disliked her either.
As was the norm, Boots was a little shy when she appeared, not knowing some of the people in attendance, and not sure about the reception that Natalie and Tootie would give her. As Jo had been telling her, she, and by extension, Georgia, were part of a huge extended family, and she needn't have worried.
"Boots St. Clair!" Natalie's effervescent voice and twinkling eyes caught site of the girl, making her way over to her old classmate. Dorothy followed a little behind.
"Natalie Green", Boots said with a smile, seeing the look on the woman's face. "My goodness, you look wonderful Natalie!"
Natalie gave the woman a warm hug, breaking it after a few beats. "You look fantastic yourself Boots, I'm not kidding", Natalie gushed. "You look wonderful!"
Boots blushed just as Dorothy appeared. "Tootie Ramsey? Holy smokes, it's the Broadway star!"
Dorothy laughed hugging Boots as well. "Future star maybe, Boots. It's so good to see you." She raised her eyebrows. "You gonna introduce us to this gorgeous woman with you?"
"Only if Natalie introduces us to this handsome man that she's with, deal?"
"Deal", Natalie laughed, and the introductions were made. After that Edna gave Boots a warm hug, and one for Georgia.
"I've heard so much about you, Mrs. Garrett", Georgia said, a little overwhelmed by the greeting from everyone.
"It's always good to have a new member of this 'family', as Blair and Jo like to call it. It can be more akin to an asylum sometime."
Georgia laughed hysterically. "Just my type of family, Mrs. Garrett."
During the afternoon, Blair was walking with DC by herself, Bailey noticing her older sister not within the group that was having the picnic. Bailey decided to join her.
"Hey Blair", Bailey said, waving at her, "do you mind if I join you and DC?"
Blair's face beamed back at her "mini-me", as Jo called her. "Not at all, little sister." As if on cue David ran over to Bailey, jumping in her arms.
"Hi Aunt Bailey. Mama Blair and I are walking."
"I see that, bud", Bailey laughed, "although you're not walking now, are you?"
"Uh, no. I want you to carry me!"
Blair looked at Bailey, shook her head and held up her hands in surrender. "Now you see what Mama Jo and I put up with all the time."
"Hey", Bailey said, looking at her nephew, "why don't you run over to the playground right there." The playground with swings and other items was only about thirty yards away. "Mama Blair and I will walk over there in a minute, okay?"
"Okay", the boy said happily, racing off toward the playground.
"Smooth move, Warner", Blair said with a laugh.
"It comes from hanging around Mrs. G.", Bailey winked, making Blair laugh again.
The sisters sat down on a bench nearby, both watching David. "So how are things going here at Eastland for you, Bailey? I know what Mother and Mrs. Garrett say, but I wanna hear it from you."
Bailey's eyes lit up. "Blair, I love it here, I really do! I've got lots of friends, great teachers, and getting to know Mrs. G. is one of the best thing I've ever done."
Blair nodded. "When I first met her, I didn't think some house mother could teach me, Blair Warner..." Blair threw back her hair in a very Princess-like fashion, making Bailey laugh, "any thing at any time. But it didn't take long to figure out that you listened to Mrs. Garrett."
"Yeah, she's so smart, but so down-to-Earth. If everyone at Eastland could work for her, they would. Well", Bailey paused, "at least while she's still there."
"She's told you she's retiring, huh?"
Bailey shrugged. "Yeah, and I get it, although I don't want her to leave. She's become so important to me."
"We have to let those that are important to us find their own path, Bailey", Blair reminded her. "Mrs. Garrett deserves to lay down her burdens. I'm surprised that she didn't retire after Jo, Natalie, Dorothy, and I left. That would have driven anyone mad."
Bailey laughed at that, then changed the subject. "It's so cool being an Aunt, even though I'm just a teenager, you know? DC is so cool, and Gloria is gonna be another Jo."
"God help us", Blair said with a wink, hugging her younger sister.
Driving home that night, both DC and Gloria were sound asleep in their seats in the back of the SUV. Blair was driving, and glanced at their children, then glanced conspiratorially over at her partner. "You thinking what I'm thinking, lover?"
Jo snickered. "If you're thinking that when we get home, and these two are still zonked, that I'm gonna ravish you, then yes, I'm thinking what you're thinking, Princess." The two women laughed, Blair grabbing Jo's left hand with her right hand.
"You have a good time today, babe?"
"We need to bottle today up and save it for when a rainy day comes around, ya know? That was such a blast. I couldn't get over how much time Ma and Pa spent talking to Boots and Georgia." She couldn't help but laugh. "And to think how they were years ago?"
"I thought it was adorable", Blair said. "Georgia is really a sweet lady. And she must be a Saint to put up with Boots 24/7."
"I dunno", Jo said offhandedly. "Boots has come such a long way. Even in school she never seemed to have this kind of self-assurance that she has now. I think being free of her family was what she needed. I hate sayin' that, but I think it's true."
"It is sad that it's true, but I agree with you. And the portraits they did for us came out so great, didn't they?"
"You can mark down a once-a-year visit to Georgie and Boots Photography for the Polniaczek-Warner family, I want to have a collection of yearly portraits for when you and I are old and in an old folk's home so we can laugh and smile at 'em."
Blair did laugh. "I like the way you think, Polniaczek", Blair said, taking a quick glance at her lover.
"Oh yeah?" Jo smiled wickedly at Blair. "Then you're gonna love my thinkin' after these two are in their beds in a little bit."
"God, yes, Jo", Blair moaned, sitting on Jo's face. She was facing the wall, her hands on the headboard, her back arched slightly. "Right there...oh, right there Jo." Blair let go of the wall, her hands massaging her breasts, pulling at her nipples. "God I love when you eat me like this."
Jo couldn't answer, as her tongue and lips were busy licking and sucking Blair's labia and her clit, her tongue occasionally entering Blair's center. This was Heaven for Jo. between her lover's legs, her face soaked with Blair's nectar, just basking in the taste and texture of her lady. She decided to give Blair something else to moan about. She deftly brought two fingers briefly into Blair's wetness, coating them generously.
Blair gasped as she felt the two digits slip insistently into her ass. "Oh, God Joey! You know it drives me crazy! Oh, God!"
The new sensation sent Blair into overdrive, grinding down on Jo's face, while simultaneously urging Jo to pump her fingers faster in and out of her ass, the sudden explosion hitting her like a nuclear detonation. "Oh, Joey!" Her back arched, as she ground down once more into Jo, gyrating to get even more of the sensation to course through her body. Finally after a few minutes and a second orgasm, she slid down her partner, until they were face to face. Blair greedily licked at her essence still on Jo's face.
"We need to take the kids out all day more often", Blair panted, laughing at the end of the panting.
"Mmm, that suits me just fine baby", Jo responded, closing her eyes as Blair kissed herself off of Jo's mouth and face. "You are just spectacular when you come."
"You're spectacular when you get me to come, grease monkey", Blair said lovingly.
After they had calmed, Blair rolled off Jo, and they were looking at each other while sitting on their sides. "Can I ask you something, honey?"
"After that, you can ask me anything, sweetie", Jo smiled.
Blair actually blushed a little when she next spoke. "Have you ever thought about us using toys during sex? Like vibrators or dildos, or something like that? Don't get me wrong", Blair added quickly, seeing the frown forming on Jo's face. "Our love-making is as good as it's ever been, but I just wondered what you think?"
"I dunno, Princess", Jo said thoughtfully, her left hand mindlessly grasping Blair's right breast. "I never thought we needed it. I want to touch you, with my fingers, my lips, my tongue, when we have sex. But I ain't against the idea." Jo smiled. "We've been having sex for how long now? Ten years?"
"Would you like to maybe go with me some afternoon while mom and dad watch the kids, and just look? I'm just curious."
"We could, I guess." Jo laid Blair on her back, rolling on top of her, their breasts squeezing together. "But remember it's you I want to touch, to feel, to make love to, to fuck, Blair Warner. But I'll do anything for you."
Blair smiled, kissing her lover, as they prepared for another round of love-making. And, in the end, they looked, but never did buy any toys. They liked exactly what they had.