"- and that's when Kim busted me out of the glass chamber the robots had stuck me in." Bonnie wrinkled her nose as she remembered her own behavior during the incident. "I can't say I did much to show my gratitude at the time."
Joss shook her head admiringly.
"Wow. This has gotta be the first time I met someone who knows more stories about cousin Kim than I do."
"Trust me, I got a lot more of them." Like the time I was literally stuck on her, as well as figuratively ... but I'll need something stronger than tea before I feel ready to tell that story. Bonnie glanced at her watch and blinked in surprise, realizing suddenly that they'd been sitting and chatting in the small café for over an hour. No wonder the barista is giving us dirty looks. "Shit, look at the time. I need to head home. I have assignments to grade."
"I should probably jet, as well." Joss agreed, flicking back her hair. "I'm parked in the east lot. Where are you?"
"Actually, I walked." The taller woman admitted.
"Walked? You must live close by, then?"
"Yeah." Bonnie stood and picked up the bag containing the two small purchases she'd made. "I'm just a few blocks north of campus, it only takes about twenty minutes to get there from here."
"Well, heck, I haveta head back that way myself." Joss also rose, dusting some muffin crumbs off her jeans as she did so. "Lemme give you a ride."
"You're sure?"
"Wouldn't be offerin' if I wasn't." The younger woman assured her. "I do need to swing by Club Banana and grab somethin' for Kim first, though. That okay?"
"Sounds good. Thanks for the offer." Bonnie nodded.
"As cuz would say: no big." Joss grinned as they began to walk back toward Club Banana. "Think of it as thanks for stoppin' and chattin' with me. I've only been in town for a few days so I don't really know anyone yet. We should do it again – it's been fun."
Yeah, it has. But I've got to be careful about spending too much time with a student, even one from another college.
"Oh, you'll soon make lots of friends at the university." Bonnie put on a nonchalant air she didn't feel. "They're a good crowd."
"... I guess." Joss shrugged as they paused outside Club Banana. "Well, here we are. Ya comin' in?"
"Actually, I might make a quick trip to the restroom." That green tea was starting to make itself known. "I'll meet you at the seats over there when you're done." Bonnie pointed at a cluster of couches not far from the store. The seats surrounded a plasma TV, tuned to the sports channel, showing they'd been placed there as a refuge for bored husbands and boyfriends.
"Sure thing. Don't worry: I won't be long."
Joss was as good as her word. By the time Bonnie had washed her hands and returned from the bathroom, the shorter woman was already sprawled on one of the couches, idly watching the muted baseball game on the plasma TV.
"Hey." Bonnie glanced at the two Club Banana bags resting on Joss's stomach. Lucky bags. "That was fast. Get something for yourself?"
"Yeah." Joss levered herself to her feet and led the way toward the east doors, bags dangling from her left hand. "I like to go in and buy what I want and get out. I don't get the whole 'shopping as a pastime' thing."
"Well unless things have changed ..." Bonnie gave a sly grin. "... that means there's at least one way in which you and Kim are different."
"Oh, there are a few of those." Joss laughed. "Kim's in a class of her own when it comes to athleticism, for instance. I'm pretty fit, but she's like a modern-day Xena: Warrior Princess."
"Who?" Bonnie blinked. "Oh ... you mean that old TV show? I've never seen it. It wasn't the kind of thing you were allowed to watch in the Rockwaller house."
Joss pulled a face.
"I'm glad I didn't grow up in your house, then. My dad was always careful to watch stuff with me before he'd let me watch it by myself, but he'd never have banned somethin' as tame as Xena."
"It wasn't because it was too wild a show." Bonnie shrugged as they left the mall building and entered the eastern car park. "My parents ... my parents would have just thought it was tacky."
"Now I'm really glad I didn't grow up in your house." Joss paused. "Uh ... no offence meant."
Bonnie shook her head.
"None taken. I'd have preferred not to grow up there, either."
"Well, here we are." The shorter woman gestured to the left.
Bonnie stared.
"Joss ... that's a motorcycle."
"She is a top of the line, custom-built beauty." Joss patted the red and silver machine. "My dad and I built her together after I passed Driver's Ed. The systems in her are cutting edge: some of them still aren't on the open market, yet."
"I'm sure, uh, 'she' is a very nice motorcycle." Bonnie acknowledged, then lifted the bags she was carrying. "But it's not really a passenger vehicle. Plus, we both have shopping. Where does that go?"
"The bags go here." Joss lifted the leather-clad seat, revealing a compartment with two helmets. "Plenty of room."
"Maybe I should walk." Bonnie eyed the cycle, trying to conceal her nervousness.
"It's okay, baby." Joss's use of the term of endearment caused a moment of shock for the older woman, but then the Montanan patted the motorcycle gently. "Bonnie's just a bit nervous, no need to be upset."
"There is no need to be nervous." A disembodied, somewhat sultry voice emanated from the motorcycle. "A number of Joss's lady friends have ridden home with me, and they have all found the experience enjoyable."
"It talks?" Bonnie's jaw dropped.
"I did say the electronics were cutting edge." Joss reminded her with a playful grin.
"And my name is Aimee." The bike's synthesized voice added, sounding slightly petulant.
"Artificially Intelligent Motorcycle Experiment. AIM-E." Joss explained, pulling out one of the helmets and offering it to Bonnie. "Trust me, we'll get you home safely. I'm a careful driver. And even if I wasn't, my dad put a bunch of fail-safes into Aimee's programming, to keep me safe."
"Safe on the road, at least." Aimee opined, primly. "What you get up to when I'm not around, I can't comment about."
"And yet somehow, I think you just did." Joss's tone was dry as she responded to her vehicle. She kept her arm extended, helmet still proffered to Bonnie, and at last the taller woman tentatively took it, then passed her bags to Joss, who stowed them away.
Climbing onto Aimee, behind Joss, Bonnie suppressed the urge to whisper a prayer. I'm really not sure about this.
"See? Told you we'd get you home safely."
"Yeah, you did. Sorry I doubted you." Bonnie swung her leg off the motorcycle and hopped down onto the sidewalk. "Uh, either of you, that is."
As promised, Joss had ridden very sedately back to Bonnie's apartment. Not that the older woman had been paying much attention to the Montanan's driving. Not when she was distracted by having her arms wrapped around the younger woman's firm stomach, and by the gentle throb of Aimee beneath her. I can see why a ride home is so popular with Joss's 'lady friends'.
"Here's your stuff." Joss opened the compartment and sorted through the bags, passing several to Bonnie."
"Thanks." The former cheerleader gave the shorter woman a grateful smile, then turned her attention to the motorcycle. "Uh ... thank you too, Aimee." I'm talking to a bike. I feel like an idiot.
"You're welcome." Aimee's cool tone suggested that she said the words only to be polite.
"Thanks again for hangin' out." Joss smiled. "I had fun."
"Yeah ... me too." Too much fun. "You, uh, know your way home from here?"
Joss grinned.
"I know my way home from campus, and I know that's about a half mile back that-a-way." She jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "I think I can manage it."
"Oh. Yeah." I'm babbling like an idiot. "Well, uh, those papers won't mark themselves. See you at the university."
"Sounds good to me." Joss climbed back onto Aimee and started the engine, but made no move to drive off. "It's getting dark. I'll wait here until you reach your door."
Bonnie opened her mouth to protest that waiting wasn't necessary, but stopped when she saw the expression on Joss's face. That's exactly the same look as Kim used to get, right before she did something impossible. She won't take 'no' for an answer.
"Thanks." The brunette nodded, then turned and walked up the staircase to her second-storey apartment. She unlocked the door and turned to give Joss a wave. The younger woman waved back, but it was not until Bonnie entered the apartment and shut the door behind her that she heard the roar of Aimee's engine.
I'm going to have to be careful around her. The brunette sighed and tossed her bags onto the couch on her right, then headed left into the kitchen. Snagging a cup from one of the shelves, she shoved it into the ice dispenser, letting it fill three quarters full, then topped the cup up with iced tea.
Sipping the tea, Bonnie wandered back into the living room and reached down for the remote which was sitting on the coffee table. As she did so, her eyes drifted to the bags she'd dropped on the couch.
And onto the bright yellow material that had spilled out of one of them.
What the? The brunette set down her cup – carefully moving a coaster beneath it, first – then picked up the bag and opened it. Sure enough, the bright yellow Club Banana sweater was inside.
"Joss must have decided to buy it after all, then got our bags mixed up. That's all." The brunette told herself, though the words sounded implausible even as she said them. For one thing, the sweater was in one of Bonnie's own bags, not a Club Banana bag. For another, there was a scrap of paper pinned to the sleeve
Trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her gut, Bonnie pulled the garment out of the bag and read the note.
B – You'll look great in it. Thanks again for today. – J.
"Oh, Joss." The brunette folded up the garment and shoved it back into the bag. I can't accept a gift like this from any student, even one who's not in my classes. I guess that settles it. I need to find Joss and give this back, but then I can't see her again.
Author's Note: Uh-oh! What is Joss thinking, buying Bonnie a gift like that? It's totally inappropriate! I'm afraid you'll have to wait for chapters 4 and 5 to find out ...
A couple of folks have asked about how Joss can be both 'stocky' and 'lithe'. This chapter's conversation about Xena reminded me of this, since the body type I envisage for her in my mind is very similar to that of Renee O'Connor (Gabrielle) in the later seasons. Though Joss has a less spectacular bust than Ms O'Connor :)