Title: Snapshots: Anthology of a Life Well Lived
Author: Kimberly21570
Fandoms: Guiding Light / All My Children
Pairings: Olivia and Natalia / Lena and Bianca
Disclaimers and Other Assorted Ramblings: The characters of Olivia and Emma Spencer, Natalia Rivera, and Maureen Reardon are owned by CBS/TeleNext and Proctor & Gamble. The characters of Bianca Montgomery, Kendall Hart Slater, Zach Slater, Erica Kane, Jackson Montgomery, Greenlee Smythe, AJ, JR, Babe, Colby, and Adam Chandler, Marissa Tasker, Krystal Carey, and Ryan Lavery are owned by All My Children, ABC/Disney and Prospect Park. The original characters of Jordan Montgomery-Kundera, Cassidy Ryan (think Jillian Michaels), and the players on Jordan's softball team are the property of this author, and any resemblance to fictional characters, or real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
No copyright infringement intended with regard to Guiding Light, CBS/TeleNext, Proctor & Gamble, AMC, ABC/Disney, or any other entity. The dialogue, settings, and story content in these scenes are original. Written for fun, not profit. All other standard disclaimers apply.
As always, thank you to my pal, MoniRod for the edit. I appreciate you, and I owe you—BIG TIME!
Rating: Overall, Chapter 6 is rated R, though this particular update is rated PG, I suppose. Perhaps PG-13. It's always a struggle for me when it comes to ratings, because I know what I would and would not want my 13 year-old niece to read. I think I'd be fine with her reading this update. The story will eventually reach NC-17.
Synopsis: It's a stroll down memory lane for Olivia and Natalia, Lena and Bianca, and their friends and family, as two of our favorite couples' daughters prepare to enter into wedded bliss, in a double wedding… of sorts…
Author's Notes: This story veers from cannon in several aspects, not the least of which is the fact that Greenlee Smythe was presumed dead for a period of time. The incidents leading up to that "accident" never happened in this story. Neither did her relationship with that self-righteous jackass Ryan Lavery, who does not even exist in my story because I cannot stand the actor, or the character. Oh, how I love the sweet freedom of fan fiction! :-)
Finally, pay particular attention to the transitions in time, as this chapter contains a flashback within a flashback. Twenty-nine-year-old Emma is still on Moshup Beach, reminiscing about a conversation that took place during the summer when she and Jordan were 20 and 17, respectively, and the story flashes back to other memories…
Snapshots: Anthology of a Life Well Lived
Copyright September 2012
"You cannot explain, with the limitations of language and inexperience, why your body can cause such a sudden, fumbling response in someone else, nor can you put into exact words what you feel about your body, explain the thrum it feels in proximity to another warm-skinned form. What you feel is a tangle of contradictions: power, pleasure, fear, shame, exultation, some strange wish to make noise. You cannot say how those things knit themselves together somewhere in the lower abdomen and pulse."
— Marya Hornbacher, Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia
Chapter 6.2—Awakenings:
The Cottage, Martha's Vineyard—Sunday, July 18, 2021, 1:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time
"So that's the story of our first meaningful kiss, or… kisses," Emma said on a reflective sigh, as she returned from the memory of that afternoon with Maury. It seemed so long ago, those fledgling embers of sexual awakening in her body. "In retrospect, I realize that it was our first real kiss, too." She emphasized the nature of the kiss. "I guess that's why it was so meaningful to me."
"What do you mean by real?" Jordan inquired, emphasizing the nature of the kiss exactly the way Emma did.
"There was no pretense about it being practice," Emma answered easily. "It was spontaneous. No conversation beforehand, no context. We had a moment. It felt right, and Maury kissed me." She sounded rather wistful as she recalled those moments in the snow one more time. And then she met Jordan's gaze in the firelight. "And I know that experience meant something to both of us. But we were way too scared to explore what it meant at the time."
"But you've explored it since."
A question disguised as a statement. God, she sounds like her mother, Emma silently noted. Her Auntie B had always been adept at slipping those subtle inquiries into what appeared to be casual comments on the surface. Emma sort of loved her for that. But with Jordan, she was torn between amusement and some other response she couldn't quite identify.
Bafflingly, from the moment they had arrived on the Vineyard that afternoon, Emma had been hyper-aware of Jordan's tender age. It had never mattered before—not to either one of them. But now it seemed rather important for her to remain mindful of it. And where her relationship with Maury went from there just wasn't something she thought she should be discussing with a seventeen year old, regardless of how mature she seemed. And so she turned the tables on Jordan, before the girl could ask any more questions about her relationship with Maureen.
"Enough about Maury and me," she said, putting a swift halt on the topic. "What about your first kisses?" she coaxed. The brief pause that preceded the inquiry made it sound like a casual afterthought, when nothing could have been further from the truth.
Jordan smiled in response, her dark eyes twinkling in the firelight. And the image of her profile, the way the shadows of the flames feathered softly along the highlights in her hair, drew the breath from Emma's lungs. Hoping the sudden exhalation hadn't sounded as loud as it did in her own head, she struggled to regain her composure. "Turnabout's fair play," she managed with a teasing lilt.
A soft laugh fell from Jordan's lips. "Yes, it is," she agreed, knowing instinctively that Emma was in avoidance mode. She did that a lot—avoided. Jordan wondered if she was even really aware of that tendency. Usually, she could coax information out of Emma, but tonight, she decided it best to just let it go—for now.
Instead, she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around her knees. "AJ was both my first, first, and my first meaningful," she confessed, her gaze fixed on the dancing flames. "And like you, they definitely didn't happen at the same time. Though, they did happen with the same person."
In that one simple statement, Jordan confirmed Emma's assumption—the girl had only kissed one boy ever, and that was her boyfriend, AJ Chandler. She already knew, of course, that AJ had been Jordan's first kiss. She'd received a text from the girl the afternoon it had happened, and they had chatted briefly about it when Emma Skyped her later that night, to wish her a happy birthday. Jordan's face had flushed the most beautiful shade of pink when Emma teased her lightly about the kiss; but she had never shared the details.
Emma wondered briefly why not, given how open Jordan had always been with her. But it had never really mattered—until now. Suddenly, knowing the details seemed important. She didn't understand why, but something deep inside her wanted to know this young woman in a way she hadn't in the past. The notion excited her, but it was also scary as hell. And she hoped her fear wasn't evident in her voice when she spoke. "Tell me about your experiences," she gently encouraged, her voice a soft caress.
Suddenly self-conscious, Jordan drew the left edge of her bottom lip into her mouth, gently biting down, as she suppressed a shy smile. She wondered at the unexpected edginess in her pulse, and why it seemed to matter to her that Emma was the one doing the asking. It was unsettling, and she couldn't quite figure out why. "Well, I guess you probably remember," she said, her voice shaky. "My first, first… it happened on our sixteenth birthday—AJ's and mine…"
Sensing Jordan's unease, Emma offered a reassuring smile. "Yes, I remember something about a text to that effect," she said with an air of light teasing that matched her teasing lilt that night on Skype a little more than a year prior.
The corners of Jordan's mouth flickered into a crooked smile. She remembered that text too. But what she remembered most was the fact that Emma had taken the time to Skype her that night, in the middle of studying for what would be grueling finals in Chemistry and Anatomy & Physiology, to wish her a happy birthday. Even now, more than a year later, that gesture still meant the world to her. She took a breath to ward off the emotions that had crept upon her, unawares. "Yeah, so we were at the practice fields at the park that afternoon, and AJ…"
Murmured on a soft sigh, she began to recount the events that occurred on her sweet sixteen. It had been as sweet and wonderful, as it had been terrifying and confusing for her. And looking back, she doubted that either she and AJ, or her parents, would ever forget it.
Leaning back against the mound of sand, Emma's eyes were glued to the younger woman's silhouette. Mesmerized by the soft shadows that caressed her beautiful face in the firelight, she listened intently to the story of Jordan's very first kiss…
Pine Valley Memorial Park—Wednesday, April 22, 2020, 2:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time
In the springtime, Jordan played softball on a national caliber girl's fast-pitch team. The Blazing Angels, they were called; though a good many of her team members had reputations for being anything but angelic. Not that they were "bad" kids, by any means. But they were older, and certainly more experienced in the ways of the world, than Jordan. And it was something of a running joke amongst them, that they'd made it their mission to corrupt Jordan, their youngest and most angelic member. Thus far, she was proving quite the challenge, much to their mutual amusement. It was all in good fun.
She had grown close to her teammates over the three seasons she had spent with them. Oftentimes after practice, the team would walk the handful of city blocks from the practice fields at Pine Valley Memorial Park to a favorite local pizzeria on the corner of Fifth and Lexington, not far from Fusion, her Aunt Kendall's cosmetics company. They would hang out and talk after dinner, and then make their way a few blocks north for frozen yogurt or a shaved ice treat before heading their separate ways. Oh, the sweet perks of living the small-town life.
In addition to forming a bond with her teammates, Jordan had grown especially close to her coach, Cassidy Ryan. At twenty-seven, Cass was old enough to possess some wisdom in the ways of life, but not so old that she had forgotten what it was like to be a teenager. She connected well with her girls, and they listed to her counsel, even when they didn't necessarily like what she had to say. Over the years, Cass had become something of a mentor to Jordan, both on the field and off, and Jordan counted herself lucky to have been taken under the woman's protective wing.
On this, Jordan's sixteenth birthday, Cass had managed to surprise her young mentee, and the team spent the latter half of their practice time celebrating with her. AJ Chandler had been invited to join them that afternoon as well, because Cass knew not only that he was Jordan's best friend, but that they shared a birthday—an event that they celebrated together every year, without fail. He was a good kid, despite his family's reputation, and Cass like him a lot. And it certainly didn't hurt that his mother was a total babe—and that wasn't just a reference to her name.
For Jordan's celebration, there were soft drinks and pizza, and cupcakes decorated to look like softballs. The dugout had been decked with balloons and streamers, and a giant banner that read: "Happy Sweet 16, Stormy"—a nickname she had earned for having taken opponents by storm every time she took either the plate or the mound. Not surprisingly, the name had followed her to her fall soccer league, as well, where she was known for her skills as a midfielder, having a hand in every aspect of the game.
Lounging around in the dugout, they all talked and laughed as they celebrated, Jordan and AJ taking turns telling stories from their shared childhood. It wasn't lost on Jordan, the rapt attention placed upon AJ by a few select members of her team, as he talked of pool parties, and barbecues, both at Jordan's house and at the Chandler Mansion.
What was lost upon her, however, was the attention directed toward her—both by AJ and a few members of her team—the ones who weren't fawning over AJ. Cass just smiled to herself, and shook her head as she watched. Jordan was so completely unassuming. It never even dawned on her that some of her team members were crushing on her. Cass wondered if Jordan even realized the magnitude of the crush AJ carried for her. If she had, she never mentioned it.
As the party progressed, together AJ and Jordan regaled the team with stories of trips to the Vineyard and outings on the Restoration, the Montgomery-Kundera yacht, with their families. But even though the topic of swimming came up quite often, neither of them spoke a word about swimming naked in the pool together since they were babies. And they certainly didn't mention that embarrassing incident in AJ's bedroom the year before—nor had they spoken about it since it happened.
Their eyes lit up at the mention of competing against one another in Soap Box Derbies, with their dads, Zach and JR, helping them to build their cars. Those races, and the preparations for them, had given them some real bonding time with their dads, and they worked together, the four of them, despite the fact that AJ and Jordan were in direct competition. The win-loss ratio between them was relatively even, and for them, it didn't even matter.
But that wasn't the case for Zach and JR. Competitive by nature, they always had a friendly wager on a race—Zach did own a chain of casinos, after all. But Jordan and AJ never cared about the outcomes. It was more about the journey, than the destination.
When the topic turned from the Soap Box Derbies, they talked of an endless array of movie nights—sometimes with their families, and sometimes not. Over the years, they estimated that they had consumed a few hundred pounds of popcorn, and enough Coca-Cola to fill an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and they'd seen just about every kid-friendly movie ever produced. All exaggerations, of course, but that's what made the stories funny.
And finally, their voices brimmed with animation as they relayed the story of the first time AJ went camping with Jordan's family. They were in their favorite area of the Pocono Mountains, about two hours north of Philadelphia, and though luxury resorts abounded, their families often enjoyed "roughing it," when they vacationed in the mountains during the summertime.
Jordan's Aunt Greenlee had been coaxed into going along that particular summer, which was funny, in and of itself to anyone who really knew Greenlee. But the hilarity certainly hadn't stopped there. She had shown up for departure with perfect hair and make-up, her nails freshly manicured, and half a dozen travel bags in tow—all of them Gucci. She was wearing designer jeans, a cashmere sweater, the highest heels AJ had ever seen, and enough jewelry to prompt a jewel heist. And the look on her face when she realized that camping involved sleeping outdoors, on the ground, where there were bugs and critters, had been absolutely priceless.
In her younger years, Greenlee Smythe was a spoiled little rich girl, who walked all over anyone she pleased, and tormented Jordan's mother, Bianca, mercilessly. But as an adult, she had grown into an intelligent, articulate, successful woman; though, she hadn't lost her edge. She was ballsy, and outspoken, and didn't take crap from anyone—least of all, her step-mother, Erica Kane. Her grandfather, the late Woodruff Greenlee, was a well-respected businessman in Pine Valley, and her father, Jackson Montgomery, a successful attorney, and former D.A. And though she was born a rich debutante from one of Pine Valley's most prominent families, she never expected to succeed on their coattails. No, Greenlee was too stubborn for that, too proud. She had done it all on her own.
As Co-owners of Fusion Cosmetics, she and Kendall had built the business literally from nothing, developing their first batch of Fusion lip color on the stove in Kendall's kitchen. And later, when they opened the trendy club, ConFusion, it quickly became the place to see, and be seen, in Pine Valley—and Greenlee Smythe was one to be seen with, anytime the doors were open. Practically overnight, she became Pine Valley's "It Girl," and though most of Jordan's teammates were still under twenty-one, they, of course, knew exactly who Greenlee Smythe was, both by name and by sight.
In the public's view, she had a reputation for being a vindictive bitch when crossed, but many in the town of Pine Valley could empathize with her, given the things she had been through in her life. She could hold a grudge so tightly that it squealed for mercy—but she also possessed an immense capacity for forgiveness. The grudge part was well-known; ubiquitous fodder for town gossips. But the forgiveness part—that was saved only for the ones she had grown to love—or love to hate, as was the case with her step-mother. And her best friend and step-sister, Kendall Hart Slater, had been both the victim of many a tightly-held grudge, and the recipient of that forgiveness, more often than anyone else in her life.
Not surprisingly, the image of the glamorous, oftentimes prissy, and always bitchy Greenlee Smythe on a camping trip was enough to make the entire team howl with laughter.
But Greenlee had proven herself a real trouper. She slept in a tent, on the ground, with bugs and critters. She ate hot dogs and marshmallows cooked on the tips of tree limbs from reusable plastic plates with reusable plastic utensils, and she drank the water straight from the springs, rather than the overpriced filtered water she insisted upon drinking any other time. AJ had even taken her fishing, and made her bait the hook with live worms. She had hated every last minute of it, but she did it—with surprisingly few complaints. And by the end of the story, Jordan's teammates had earned a new sense of respect for her beloved Auntie Greens.
As the story came to an end, Jordan noticed Cass beginning to clear away the empty plates and cups, tossing them in the nearby trashcan. She glanced at her watch, noting that it was after four thirty. "Gosh, I can't believe it's this late," she commented, announcing the time to her entire team.
There were noises of surprise and agreement amongst the group. And then, she and her teammates stood, and began gathering trash as well. "Big plans for this evening?" Lacey, their third basewoman asked.
"Dinner at AJ's around eight?" Her tone asking as much as answering, Jordan glanced at AJ for confirmation. "It's their turn to host this year. And lucky him," she grinned. "My whole family will be there."
AJ laughed, but didn't comment. He could handle her family just fine. He loved them, in fact—loved how close they were, how real they were with one another. His family had never been like that; though, things were better now than they had ever been. The memories of their Soap Box Derby days were the first truly good ones AJ had of his dad. Before those days, all he could remember were drunken rampages, and endless arguments. Other than his mom, his Aunt Marissa, and his Grandma Krystal, no one in his family seemed to get along. Even his Aunt Colby argued with everyone all the time. Sometimes life had been rather tedious.
But then things had changed. He didn't know why. All he knew was that his dad didn't get drunk anymore, and the arguments stopped—for the most part, anyway. And his parents found their way back together. Things were different, better. But they would never be like Jordan's family, and at times, he had to admit, he really envied her.
Her younger sisters were sweet, and he enjoyed spending time with them. They liked to follow him around a lot, and Jordan never seemed to mind. He had often wondered what it would be like to have siblings. Had even asked his mom and dad about it a time or two—like, each time Jordan got a new baby sister. But they had their reasons for not having more children, he supposed. And he guessed at this late stage of the game, Jordan's little sisters would be as close as he would ever come. His parents weren't getting any younger, after all. And quite frankly, at this point, the thought of what they would have to do to give him a sibling was just kinda gross.
As much as he loved Jordan's family, he wasn't looking forward to the sparring that would undoubtedly take place between her Grandma Erica, and his Grandpa Adam. He had nearly choked on his pork chop when he first heard they had been married—not once, but twice! Apparently, the woman had a penchant for marrying the same men multiple times. But that wasn't any of his business. Jordan's mothers had only married once—to each other. That was the kind of family he wanted someday.
Reaching around Jordan, he grabbed the stack of unused plates. "Yeah, dinner with our families at eight," he confirmed. "And until then, we have some studying to do for AP Chem." Opening the Ziploc® bag Cass had brought them in, he fitted the plates inside. Sealing the package, he dropped it into the box on the bench, and reached for the pile of unused napkins.
"Ugh, don't remind me!" Jordan groused.
AJ's clear blue eyes shown with amusement as he grinned at her. "Guess you don't wanna be reminded of our AP Physics exam on Friday either, huh?" Zipping the napkin bag, he dropped it into the box with the plates.
Jordan reached up, tousling his mop of streaky blond hair. "Hush it, Ace," she said playfully.
He grumbled in response, and everyone laughed at their lighthearted banter.
"You guys celebrate together every year?" Mandy, their shortstop, sounded a little envious of them for the tradition—and of AJ for getting to make such great memories with Jordan. A mid-season replacement for an injured player, she hadn't joined the team until after Jordan's birthday last year, and she had taken an instant liking to their youngest player. Though, she never said a word.
"Yeah… Ever since we were little," Jordan answered with a hint of fondness in her tone. "Though, we used to go out to my family's summer house for the week, before AJ and I were in school."
"Where's your summer house?" Shawna, their most recent recruit asked. Their new first basewoman, it was only her third practice with the team, and she was playing catch-up.
"Martha's Vineyard," AJ supplied.
"Oh, yeah, that's right," Shawna recalled. "Nice."
Jordan smiled. "Yeah, it is," she agreed, with gratitude in her tone. Her dark eyes sparkled as her gaze fell on AJ. "We have a lot of really great memories from there, don't we, Ace?"
"Sure do," AJ confirmed. "One of my favorites was the year Emma's family first came for our birthday."
"Oh, yeah!" Jordan laughed at the memory. "Our moms and their crazy competitions," she said, referring to her mother and her Auntie O. The year was 2014—they were ten, and Easter/Spring Break happened to fall during the week of their birthday, so everyone converged on the Vineyard. And their rivalry hit epic proportions.
"I know!" AJ agreed with a chuckle. "Dune buggy races, parasailing competitions, sandcastle wars…"
"Don't forget the karaoke on the beach," Jordan reminded.
"Oh, my God, your Aunt Olivia was a freak," AJ cackled. "I've never seen anything like it."
"Emma was so embarrassed," Jordan laughed.
"Who's Emma?" Shawna asked. The way the girl's name fell from Jordan's lips made her more than curious.
"She's my best girlfriend," Jordan answered, making certain to emphasize the part about gender so AJ wouldn't feel left out. "She lives in Illinois, and her family comes to the Vineyard with us every summer."
"Your moms sound like a lot of fun," Mandy commented. She didn't really know Jordan's parents very well yet, but she hoped to get to know them soon.
"Yeah, they're pretty great," Jordan willingly admitted. Unlike AJ, she had no complaints whatsoever in the parent department, and she knew how fortunate that made her. "And my Auntie O is awesome. She's my Mama's best friend from grad school. They're business partners now, with my Aunt Talia—that's Auntie O's wife," she added in explanation. "And my Mom."
"Cool," Shawna said.
"So what's for dinner tonight?" Korryn, their catcher asked, continuing the casual conversation as they threw the last of the trash into the waste bin.
It was AJ's turn to choose, so Jordan looked to him for an answer. "Cannelloni stuffed with spinach, sausage, and tons of cheese," he reported, emphasizing the cheese part. That was his favorite.
The expression on Jordan's face was one of surprise and wonder. The remainder of the menu ceased to matter. "But you hate sausage." She emphasized his extreme distaste for the main ingredient.
AJ nodded and shrugged. "Yes, but you love it," he said simply.
A round of "Aw…"'s emanated from the team. And as they watched the two of them, wordlessly, they waged bets as to how long it would be before they were officially a couple. Jordan had always been adamant that they were just friends, but the expressions on their faces told the team otherwise.
Jordan's heart fluttered in her chest as she looked at him standing there, his hands buried in the pockets of his jeans. He looked so open, so vulnerable, his eagerness to please her so evident in his clear, blue eyes.
Flinging her arms around his neck, she kissed his cheek and squeezed him tightly. "Omigosh, Ace… You're the best!" she declared exuberantly.
Her words were like a balm to his tattered soul, and his heart ached with love for her. She was the best thing in his world, and he would've given anything to make her happy. His hands slipped from his pockets, and his arms came around her.
Holding her close against his body, he nuzzled against her ear. "I wanted you to have your favorite for your sweet sixteen, Jordi." He was the only one who ever got away with calling her that.
The warmth of his breath against her ear caused the most delightful trembling deep in Jordan's belly. It left her nearly breathless. Easing her grasp on his neck, she pulled back enough to meet his gaze. "As long as I have you to celebrate with, and that's all I really need."
The corners of his lips twisted into a puckish grin. "Guess that means I can take back the awesome present I bought you, huh?"
Jordan's mouth dropped open in mock horror. "Don't you dare, AJ Chandler!" she said in a tone that brooked no dispute, as she smacked his chest.
AJ laughed. "Relax, Jordi. I couldn't take it back if I tried."
Her eyes lit up. "What is it?"
"Oh, huh-uh." AJ shook his head. "I'm not tellin'."
She slapped him again. "Tease," she accused.
The team was laughing at their banter, when Cass interrupted, indicating that they had better vacate for field for the next team. Jordan readily agreed, as did everyone else. They all knew what a pain it was when they had to wait for another team to pack it in, and they always tried to be courteous to their fellow ball players.
There was another round of birthday wishes, for both her and AJ, and she heard her nickname "Stormy" bandied around a few more times. AJ followed behind her, as she hugged her teammates, both of them thanking each one for the well wishes.
When she came to Cass, Jordan hugged her a little tighter than the rest. And then she met that calm, sincere green gaze she had come to know so well. "Thanks for everything, Coach," she said with fondness in her tone. "We had a really nice time."
She glanced at AJ, seeking confirmation. And he didn't disappoint. Extending his hand, he shook Cass's. "Yeah, Coach. Thank you. We really appreciate what you did for us today."
Flashes of sunlight streaked through Cass's shaggy mop of honey-brown hair, as she brushed it back from her face. She smiled at her young mentee. "You're very welcome. Both of you," she said warmly, her gaze shifting from Jordan to AJ, and back again. "I hope you have a wonderful celebration tonight."
AJ offered a sincere smile. "Trust me," he said confidently. "We will."
They waved to the team, calling out final goodbyes. And then, slinging both his and Jordan's backpacks over his right shoulder, AJ wrapped his left arm around Jordan's shoulder. An odd sense of relief enveloped him, when he felt her arm slide across his lower back. And the crunch of gravel beneath their feet marked their departure from the dugout.
A few minutes later, they were lying on a blanket AJ had pulled from his pack, in a quiet alcove amongst a cluster of trees along the outer edge of the park. Neither of them could have known the significance of this particular spot to Jordan's parents. They only knew this was their favorite place in the entire park.
Leaning against the trunk of the huge oak at the center of the cluster of trees, AJ smiled down at Jordan, whose head was resting against his thigh. Her legs were crossed at the ankles, just like his were. And he held their Advanced Chemistry book in his hands, methodically running through the chapter review questions, as they lazed beneath the shade of those trees.
Absentmindedly, Jordan fiddled with a sapphire-blue wildflower she had picked from beside the tree, as one-by-one, she answered the questions, with nearly perfect recall of the text. And once again, AJ was left in complete awe of her.
Randomly picking elements from the periodic table, they had already run through more than half of them, when AJ came upon hydrogen.
Immediately, Jordan began chattering about its unique chemical properties. "The first element in the periodic table, Hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, insipid gas, formed by diatomic molecules, H2," she reported. "The hydrogen atom, symbol H, is formed by a nucleus with one unit of positive charge and one electron. Its atomic number…"
He didn't really need to hear any more. He knew everything she would say was correct. She was freaking brilliant that way. And so his thoughts drifted, and he found himself lost in the soothing sound of her innately husky voice, despite the jumble of useless information that emanated from those beautiful lips.
God, how he wanted to taste those lips!
He had been fantasizing about it for more than a year. And that was exactly where his thoughts remained, until he heard her mention that the element in question would bond with almost anything. That finally snapped him back to the present moment with her.
Glancing down at her, his face held a teasing smirk. "So basically what you're saying is, Hydrogen is the whore of the periodic table."
"AJ!" Jordan censured, with a slap against his shin.
He yelped in protest, and she smacked him again.
"Just because a woman likes to… bond, doesn't make her a whore," Jordan argued.
"Who said anything about a woman?" AJ countered. "Hydrogen can be a male whore if you want it to be." He failed to see the issue. "I'm not sexist."
"That's not funny," Jordan snapped. With the speed and agility of a seasoned wrestler, she was on her knees, straddling his thighs. Her hands were wrapped around his wrists, as she pinned him to the ground with the force of her body, in two seconds flat.
And then he was looking up at her with those clear, blue eyes. And he was laughing that laugh that somehow deepened with each passing year, as his voice changed into that of a young man, instead of the little boy she had once known. Suddenly, this position that they'd found themselves in on countless occasions in the past, felt innately sexual, and it both frightened and excited her in ways it never had before.
She could tell by the expression in his eyes, the way he labored for breath, his chest rising and falling in short, staccato bursts, that he felt the same way. But before she could say anything, he turned the tables on her, planting her firmly on the ground beneath his body. The weight of him left her nearly senseless, as he settled his hips between her thighs, her body slowly awakening unto itself.
Slowly, he searched her face. "I love how geeky you are," he finally said, his tone purposefully airy. Anything to avoid dealing with the surge of arousal that pulsed like thunder between his legs. He prayed to God he wouldn't get another full erection—not right now, anyway. Later would be fine, when he was alone. But not now!
"I am not geeky, AJ Chandler," Jordan protested. "I'm educated. And you weigh a ton, so get off of me." Firmly, she shoved him from her body, but the expression on her face belied the sternness of her tone.
Amused by her, he laughed, and tried to pull her back down onto the blanket. But she was on her feet in a single breath, and halfway across the field with a moment's time.
And he was swiftly on her heels. He had his training on the high school baseball team to thank for his agility. When he reached her, he was still laughing, and he could tell that she was too. He grasped her around the waist, drawing her to a complete halt.
Relaxing, she leaned into the curve of his body as he held her. She liked the way it felt, being in his arms. It was confusing to her—and a little exciting. And then she felt the warmth of his breath, as he nuzzled into her neck, drawing in the light, musky scent of her.
"You're cute when you're feisty, ya know that don't-cha?" he murmured against her ear.
She turned in his arms, her dark eyes flashing with mischief. But the witty comeback she had planned to deliver, died on the tip of her tongue, as she met his clear, blue gaze. Instinctively, her arms fell around his neck, and he pulled her impossibly closer.
Slowly, his eyes searched hers, noting the flecks of gold that sparkled in their dark depths. And she was vividly aware of the nearness of him, of the rise and fall of his chest pressing against her tender, young breasts as he breathed.
Scrambling for distraction, she forced herself to focus on anything other than the fluttering in her belly, or the tingling in her breasts, as they brushed against his chest. Dropping her gaze, she noticed the necklace he was wearing. It wasn't exactly a surprise. He wore it all the time. But she remembered the day she gave it to him. It was a gift for his birthday, the year they turned ten—a simple choker, fashioned from tiny seashells they had collected at the beach the previous summer, strung on a plain leather cord, and tied off in a knot.
"I can't believe you're still wearing that necklace," she said quietly. That simple fact made her smile, and she relaxed again into his body.
"Never take it off," AJ valiantly swore. It was a lot tighter now, than it had been back then, but he wore it proudly.
The moment the words were out of his mouth, her gaze flickered up, meeting with his again. She couldn't help but notice how his sky-blue shirt brought out the color of his eyes. Nor could she ignore the pounding in her chest as he held her against his own. She swallowed hard, trying to ward off the flood of nervousness that had returned so unexpectedly. But the pulsing of blood rushing through her ears was a constant reminder of the swirl of sensations that was suffusing her body as he held her.
As for AJ, he was faring no better. The soft, familiar scent of her body, her hair, engulfed him, as he breathed her deep into his lungs. And his body reacted without any need of further provocation. He willed it away, not wanting to relinquish the hold he had on her. And then his gaze flickered down to her lips, and he watched with rapt attention, as her breath caught in her chest.
Self-consciously, she bit her lower lip to keep it from quivering. And as he watched, his own breath caught, forcing him to stifle a groan. From out of nowhere, his palms began to sweat, and his mouth turned dry as a desert gulch, and suddenly air was fleeting, as he returned to the depths of those warm brown eyes.
It felt as though time stood still, as the sights and sounds of the world fell away. And finally, he leaned down, his lips skating tentatively across her mouth.
Her breath caught again, but this time he felt it against his lips. And when she met his gaze, rather than pulling away, as he might have expected, she smiled, and tightened her grip on his neck. Her reaction bolstered his courage, and he wet his lips, brushing them lightly against hers again. And then he watched with fascination, as her eyes slid closed, and her mouth met his of its own accord.
Slowly, he moved his mouth over hers, praying that he didn't mess it up by getting too eager, too excited. It wasn't that he'd never kissed a girl before—he'd kissed enough. Or rather, they'd kissed him. Blond-haired, blue-eyed jocks—especially with the last name Chandler—didn't want for female attention. He'd learned that from his father in a none-too-rare moment of cockiness on the Senior Chandler's part. But Jordan's was the only attention AJ wanted—or ever would.
Jordan's mind was racing a mile a minute. And yet, it wasn't getting any farther than the fact that AJ's mouth was pressed against her own. There had been moments over the past year when she wondered if he would ever kiss her. Moments where it seemed like he might. In those same moments, she had contemplated whether or not she wanted him to. And each time, without any forethought really, she had somehow quashed the possibility. But this had happened so quickly that she didn't even have a chance to think about it, let alone react. And now she couldn't decide how she felt about it.
Opening his mouth, he bravely drew Jordan's lower lip inside. She responded with a soft gasp, before opening her own mouth to him. And then her fingers here raking through the soft blond hair at the nape of his neck, and a low groan escaped his lips at the sensation of her fingernails against his skin. If she'd had any semblance of thought whatsoever at the moment, she might have supposed that she'd found her answer. But right now, with the warmth of his mouth against hers, all she could do was feel—and it felt a thousand different things all at once.
Neither of them could say how long the kiss lasted, but when their lips finally parted, they were both nearly breathless. She offered him a shy smile, and his gaze darted anywhere but her lips. All he could think was that he wanted to kiss her again—and in the same moment, wondered if he ever should have in the first place.
"Jordan, I… um, well… Wow. Was that… I mean… Maybe I shouldn't've…" In the wake of that kiss, AJ couldn't seem to settle on a thought, let alone put together a coherent sentence.
Amused, Jordan smiled into blue eyes that swirled with hints of excitement and dread. "Relax, Ace," she laughed softly, though her own body, her own mind, felt anything but relaxed. She pressed her palm lightly against his chest, feeling the muscles shift beneath. "You definitely should have," she said, with more confidence that she actually felt.
Bending his knees, he lowered down enough to look her square in the eyes. "You sure?" He sounded worried, and she wondered why. But she didn't ask.
Part of her still wondered if it was really what she wanted, but she didn't want him to feel self-conscious. It had taken him what seemed like forever to get over what had happened in his bed that morning. "You're my best friend, AJ. Always have been."
"But…?" He swore he could hear it coming, and disappointment overwhelmed him.
"Not but," Jordan said. "And…"
"Oh?" He sounded surprised.
"Yeah," Jordan chuckled.
"So…" AJ grinned. "And, what…?"
"And I…" Jordan bit her bottom lip adorably. "I wanted you to kiss me," she confessed. "Or, at least I think I did. Oh, I don't know, AJ," she sighed, turning away from him. "Right now, I'm just so confused."
"Confused about what?" he asked gently, as he turned toward her. Lightly, his fingertips brushed her arm, and she turned to face him again.
"I don't honestly know," she answered, bewildered. "Everything, I guess."
Reaching down, he took her hand, loosely entwining their fingers the way they had a thousand times before. "Let's go sit, eh?"
Jordan smiled at him, and squeezed his fingers. And then she glanced toward the sun. Noting its position in the early evening sky, she quickly estimated the time. "I should go, actually," she said, almost sorrowfully. "It's getting late, and I need to get cleaned up for dinner."
"Are you… upset with me, Jordi?" AJ asked tentatively.
"No, Ace. Not at all," she answered with absolute certainty. "I'm confused about how I feel right now, but… I'm not sorry that you kissed me. I'm glad you were my first."
Delivered on a soft whisper, Jordan's confession made AJ beam with pride. "I'm glad too," he said, attempting to bridle his excitement.
She smiled at him, and pushed up on her tiptoes, pressing a light kiss against his cheek. "So I'll see you at eight, okay?"
"Okay," he readily agreed.
And then she was off to collect her things.
Her Aunt Kendall would be waiting for her at Fusion. She was her ride home that afternoon, since her mom had an early day at Haven of Hope. Her thoughts and emotions were a chaotic amalgam of excitement, and confusion, and anticipation, and dread, as she shoved her books and papers into her backpack. And as she made her way toward the Fusion offices, she wondered why it was that his kisses would cause such a swirl of confusion for her.
She knew she was behind when it came to such experiences. She didn't know a single other girl, who at sixteen, had kissed anyone. Hell, even her little sister Lexie, at the tender age of twelve, had years' worth of kissing experience—with girls, of course. Not boys. Boys grossed Lexie out.
Shaking her head, Jordan smiled. She had to admit she could see Lexie's point. Sometimes boys grossed her out too. Even AJ had managed that a few times when they were younger. But mostly, especially now that they were older, he wasn't gross. Instead, he was kinda cute. Hot, even, in that roguish high school jock sort of way. Except that he wasn't an asshole like the other jocks at school. He was a really nice guy—a good person. And she loved him. So how could his kisses feel so right… and so… wrong… at the same time, she wondered.
Perplexed, Jordan sighed. She didn't have any answers.
Her mother would say that it did no good service to worry about such things. No one gets to have all of the answers. They just have to live with the questions, and do the best that they can. Right now, that was no great comfort. And all Jordan could do was pray that Aunt Kendall wouldn't ask any questions on the ride home.
Moshup Beach, Martha's Vineyard—Saturday, April 21, 2029, 8:45 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time
Oh, those sweet awakenings of youth, Emma mused, as she made her way along Philbin Beach, on her way back toward the cliffs. So frightening and exhilarating all at once. But it wasn't just the awakenings of youth that could catch one off-guard, she reminded herself. Sometimes that could happen as an adult, as well. And that's when life could get complicated. Dangerous, even. At least, that had been the case for her, once upon a time.
Glancing at her watch, she noted the time. If she didn't stop dawdling, she would miss welcoming Jordan's friends. Not that her presence was necessary, of course. This was Jordan's day, her weekend, and they were Jordan's friends. But she liked them. Always had. And she wanted to be there to share as much of this special day with her friend as she possibly could.
Hastening her pace, the soles of her sneakers plowed into the sparkling white sand, as she set a course then, back toward the cottage. But as she ran, her thoughts were never far from the memory of that long-ago conversation on the beach, from that week with Jordan—or from the consequences of her choices, both good and bad. And definitely not from the infinite changes that had occurred in her life, in its wake.
TBC in Chapter 6.3…
Final Author's Note: While I willingly admit that I am a geek, and that I do find Science fascinating, I do not profess to be a Science geek. Thus, if the information about Hydrogen presented in this chapter is incorrect, I so apologize. My nephew, Kyle, was talking about it the other night, and I thought it was interesting. The crack about Hydrogen being the whore of the periodic table was my response to his ramblings. He thought it was funny, so I included it in the chapter just for fun.
