Jaye kept nudging the Chihuahua away with the toe of her sneaker. Aside from its terminal flatulence, it seemed to be an obsessive licker and her socks must have looked like cotton candy.
"Sharon isn't much of a drinker. Afraid she might lose control. I can't imagine her drunk."
"She did a lot of things that night she hadn't done before. But then, I am a bad influence." Linny smiled. "Anyway, she's trying to hide the sherry. Huge bottle. Her choice, but I think she was regretting it about then. Snags her foot in the sheets and over she went, whacking her head on the corner of the desk. I fell over laughing. I mean, there she is, feet in the air, panties twisted around her knees, and your dad is knocking on the door saying, 'Sharon? I distinctly heard you in there. Did you fall? Should I call the dorm assistant for the key? Can you hear me?' Oh my god." She sighed and laughed.
"Dad's still clueless." Jaye shook her head. "Sharon's first girlfriend. That explains why she didn't want me to talk to you. Too much history she wants to keep buried."
Linny pulled the teacup away from her lips as if it were scalding. "You mean she's still in the closet?"
"With an electric fence topped with razor wire."
"But she told you, right?"
"Sheer accident. I set her up with some guy, and it happened to come up in the middle of their date."
Linny scrunched her face. "Ooh, how did that turn out?"
"He ended up in the hospital, and Sharon is dating his ex-wife."
"Ah, that explains things."
Stifling an urge to kick the dog, Jaye asked, "Explains what?"
"You thought I was wreaking her relationship with this other woman. I thought you were being awfully protective."
"Yeah, well…."
"That's why you're here, isn't it?"
Jaye listened for some words of instruction or encouragement from the wax lion. Nothing. She sighed.
"Mostly. I figured I'd just make it simple and tell you to stay out of both of our lives."
"But you already had your revenge for me flirting with your boyfriend. This is really about Sherry, isn't it?"
If only you knew what this was about, Jaye thought. Hell, I wish I knew what this was all about.
"I wish my sisters stuck up for me like you are for Sherry."
"To be honest, after talking, I'm thinking I was just being a total bitch about everything."
Linny leaned over and lightly touched Jaye's hand. "You know, it's okay. I tend to bring out extremes in people. But now that we've got all that sorted out, everything is okay. Right?"
Groaning, Jaye said, "I don't think so."
Confused, Linny asked, "Did I do something else?"
"No. It's me. I swiped Sharon's organizer to get your address."
"Ooh, that is bad. So, Sherry has no idea you're here then?"
"Not yet."
Rapid hammering came from the front door, loud enough to make Jaye and Linny flinch and the dog whimper and fire off a volley of gas.
"Okay," Jaye said, "maybe she does."
