Laura lay on the blanket, staring up at the stars; away from where the main crowd was enjoying the town's Fourth of July festivities. She could still hear the music, and listened as the jazz band announced they were taking a break. She smiled when a swing band immediately replaced them.
"Champagne!"
Her peace was shattered. Her fingers were prized apart, and a glass placed between them.
"To what shall we toast?" Cheryl asked, pouring some bubbly beverage into the glass as Laura balanced it strategically on her belly.
"Being together," Sandra said, flopping down next to Laura. "Did you know this is the first Fourth of July we've spent together since I was twelve?"
"What? That can't be true, can it?" Laura instantly denied it, shocked.
"It is! But now that you have the vacation house, I think this needs to be a regular thing."
"Sounds good to me. Every year, no matter what we're doing or where we're living, we'll spend the Fourth of July together."
"Yes, let's make it here," Laura agreed. "I can't imagine anything nicer than watching the stars, listening to music, and sipping champagne right here, by the waterfront, with my two favorite sisters."
"How many other sisters do you have?" Sandra asked with a laugh. "Here sounds wonderful. But next year I'll be bringing someone else."
"What?" Cheryl whined. "No! No boyfriends."
"It might be a boy. Or a girl. I'll be happy either way."
"You're pregnant!" Laura and Cheryl squealed in unison.
Laura struggled to keep the champagne from spilling as they hugged and congratulated Sandra.
"What's James think?"
A shadow passed across Sandra's face. "He's not ready to be a father and a husband yet."
Her sisters exchanged a look of disgust. Sandra whimpered, "Please, don't hate him. He really is trying."
"I'm sure." Laura couldn't keep the sarcasm out of her reply.
"I've talked to Dad. I'm going home to stay with him for a while. And, of course, that means I'll be close to Laura, too."
"So, it's only Cheryl we need to lure back to Washington." Laura elbowed her younger sister in the ribs.
"Not all of us are as politically minded as you, Laura."
"Now that I've made my confession," Sandra said, "I'm off to get some more food. I'm starving."
They all laughed, but Laura couldn't keep the bitterness out of her voice once Sandra was out of earshot. "I hope James Richardson doesn't have the misfortune to run into me over the next few months."
"God forbid." Cheryl linked her fingers with Laura's. "Thank goodness you're on our side. I wouldn't want Laura Roslin as an enemy." She shot her sister a sly look. "Now, what about your love life? Any man on the horizon?"
Laura snorted. "I've given up. Spinster for life."
"You're too young to be a spinster."
"Forty? I'm getting into spinster territory. How's Bryce?" Laura asked, attempting to turn the conversation away from herself.
"Bryce who?" Cheryl said breezily. "Speaking of men, look." Cheryl pointed out a group of dignitaries assembling on one side of the stage. "There's your scrumptious Captain."
Laura wasn't sure she'd describe her neighbor as scrumptious, but he definitely stood out in the crowd. Captain Adama was wearing his navy uniform; the pristine white outfit accentuated his muscular frame and dark skin.
"He's not my anything. I've only talked to him once."
Laura had, however, seen Captain Adama another three times since their episode on the porch. They'd been casual encounters that didn't require them to speak. One morning, they passed each other in the grocery store. She did her best not to crane her neck to check out the contents of his basket.
A few nights later, she went out to dinner with Wally. Laura had instantly recognized the Captain at a table in the far corner. She did her best not to crane her neck to check out the blonde who accompanied him. Then, just last Friday night, when Cheryl and Sandra had arrived, she'd ordered pizza. As she paid the delivery boy, Captain Adama was putting out the trash. She did her best not to crane her neck to check if there was any evidence the blonde was still around.
"I didn't know you two had met," Laura said.
"He and I had a coffee together," Cheryl admitted. "He really has a beautiful house, you know. You should go over and get some ideas for decorating your side."
A nerve on Laura's cheek twitched. "You had coffee at his house?" Cheryl had only been in town for three days.
"Yes, he's charming." Cheryl stood up and waved in an effort to gain the Captain's attention.
Laura frowned. The thought of her little sister finding Captain Adama charming and scrumptious made her feel ill. "He's a little old for you, don't you think?"
"He's 53. I asked him. So, that's only a 24-year gap."
"Only! Cheryl, are you out of you mind?" Laura searched around for her drink.
"All that experience," Cheryl purred. "It's rare to find someone his age who isn't gay or married. Or afraid of the age difference."
"Afraid of… Wait, he's not married? Thank goodness for small mercies."
"He's been divorced for over a decade," Cheryl went on, seemingly oblivious to Laura's sarcasm. "Another advantage. Newly divorced men are an emotional mess I'm not prepared to deal with."
Laura shook her head in disbelief. "Should I ask how you know so much about these things?"
"That's easy. I date. My main relationship in my life isn't my job, unlike you, big sister."
"I date!" Laura protested.
"Oh, sure. When was your last date, Laura?"
"I went out to dinner just over a week ago. With Wallace Gray."
Cheryl snorted, sounding remarkably like her elder sister. "That doesn't count! That's work!"
Laura gulped her champagne. "How do you know?"
"I know. When was the last time you had sex?"
"Cheryl! I'm not answering that."
"Weeks? Months? Years?"
"Hello."
Laura spluttered into her champagne when she heard a distinctive raspy voice greeting them.
Cheryl jumped up and enveloped Captain Adama in an embrace, despite the fact they had to be of very short acquaintance.
"Bill!" Cheryl stepped back to squeeze his arm. "It's so lovely to see you again."
Bill? His name was Bill? Laura was saved from further embarrassing herself by blustering about Cheryl and Bill's familiarity when Sandra returned with a seemingly bottomless bag of food.
Laura's exasperation only increased once Bill Adama was introduced to her other sister. Bill and Sandra started chattering happily about babies, pregnancy, even the amount she was eating. Then, even more exasperating, he started to give her advice. He was a father of two, apparently, and as such, he had vast knowledge: everything from the amount of coffee she could safely drink to cures for heartburn.
"Close your mouth, dear, it's very unattractive," Cheryl whispered in her ear.
Laura was helping herself to another gulp of champagne when another masculine voice addressed her. She turned toward a tall, slim man with thinning hair.
"Wally." Laura got up and leaned toward Wally's cheek, kissing the air somewhere in its vicinity.
"I thought you were returning to Washington," Laura said.
"Not until Friday." Wally turned to Cheryl. "Ms Roslin. It's nice to see you again."
"Mr Gray," Cheryl greeted him coolly.
Laura frowned. Cheryl and Wally had met through her a few times. Cheryl was the queen of every party. She was the bubbly one, always turning up the music and ensuring that every glass was full. Wally was the 'slow and steady wins the race' type; the thorough plodder who never came out of his shell with anyone until he'd known them for a long time.
Cheryl and Wally were complete opposites. It didn't surprise her that they didn't hit it off.
Wally reached out and shook Bill Adama's hand. She couldn't help but compare the two men as they stood side by side. Even though Wally was much taller, Adama clearly had the dominant aura. Laura noticed a faint expression of disapproval cross Captain Adama's face, aimed directly at Wally. It confused her.
"Oh!" Sandra exclaimed. "There's your song, Laura."
Laura swayed where she stood, instantly relaxed. "It is."
"Fly Me to the Moon has been Laura's favorite forever," Sandra explained to the non-family members.
Bill Adama's hand grasped her elbow. He gestured toward the space set aside for dancing. "Shall we?"
Laura giggled, tossing her empty champagne glass down onto the blanket. She let him lead her to the small cordoned-off area.
It was getting late in the evening. On the dance floor, several couples were entwined; some not exactly in a virtuous manner.
Laura felt herself blush, but she quickly forgot all about the other dancers when she felt Captain Adama's arms wrap around her. He held her firmly, twirling and dipping her along to the familiar tune. Her feet felt light as she swayed to the beat; she tried to ignore the shiver of delight that thrummed through her body as she threaded her legs in and around his.
Neither of them suggested sitting it out when the next song, with a slower tempo, began to play. Instead, their arms crept more tightly around each other. Laura leaned her head against his chest, feeling his breath whispering across her cheek occasionally.
"You have lovely sisters."
"Thank you. Do you have any brothers or sisters?"
His step faltered for a fleeting moment. "They died before I was born."
"I'm sorry," she murmured, automatically rubbing his back with empathy.
"You're leaving tomorrow?"
She looked up at him, surprised.
"Three weeks are up?" he asked.
She nodded, disconcerted that, for once, she wasn't eager to return to work. "Yes, they are. Fireworks tonight, reality tomorrow." She arched an eyebrow. "You're eager to start boxing at the crack of dawn again?"
He just gave her a half-smile.
"And you're on duty again?" she asked. He gave her a questioning look. "Your uniform," she tried to explain.
"Oh. No, just protocol for tonight. My sons are arriving later on. They'll be here for the next few days. In fact," he paused, checking his watch, "I'll need to leave soon to pick them up. Cheryl's leaving tomorrow, too?"
She stiffened in his arms. "Yes. We're all driving back to Washington together."
"Shame."
"You wanted to introduce Cheryl to your kids?" she asked flippantly.
He surprised her by chuckling. "No, no. Just thought that she and Gray might have done with a little more time together. He obviously needs a good swift kick if he can't see what a prize she is."
Laura pulled back to study his face, astonished.
"Cheryl and Wally?"
"It's pretty obvious."
"Not to me! You must be mistaken."
"I don't think so. She told me about some older guy breaking her heart. As soon as I saw the way they looked at each other tonight, I figured he was the one."
"But Wally's my colleague. My friend. He and Cheryl aren't—"
He suddenly stopped dancing.
"He came on to you as well?" His voice was low, menacing.
"No, no," she assured him. She put her arms around him again, urging him to keep moving. "Wally has only ever been my friend. Nothing more. And I just can't see him being anything more to Cheryl, either. They're such opposites."
"Haven't you heard, Ms Roslin? Opposites attract."
She grinned against his chest.
"You seemed to have learned a lot about my family in a short time, Mr Adama."
He chuckled. "I haven't learned the most important thing."
She looked up at him again, shaking her head.
He leaned down and breathed his question into her ear. "Has it been weeks, months or years?"
"I don't think that's any of your business, Mr Adama," she snapped.
"You should tell Cheryl months, even if it's a lie."
She flashed him an irritated look.
"Weeks makes you sound cheap, which I'm positive you're not. Years makes you sound sad and unwanted, which I'm equally positive you're not."
"I think you have altogether too many opinions, Captain Adama."
The song came to an end, and for one brief moment Laura thought he was going to kiss her. Instead, he took her arm and politely escorted her back to the blanket.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Bill," Cheryl said when they joined her sisters. Cheryl turned to Laura. "I'm staying in town a couple more days, if that's okay. I'll head back with Wally on Friday."
"Of course," she replied. She expected Adama to have a smug expression, but when she glanced in his direction, his face remained impassive.
He bid Cheryl and Sandra goodnight, and then turned to her, gazing directly into her eyes. She licked her lips.
"I'll see you next year, Ms Roslin, if not before."
He turned and strolled across the park toward his car.
"How about you both stay here on the blanket with me for a moment?" Sandra said from the ground. "He has a nice ass, Laura," she added.
Laura, who had been enjoying the Captain's rear view in his uniform up to this point, raised her chin. "I hadn't noticed," she lied.
The first flash of fireworks exploded overhead. Laura lowered herself to the ground, lay back on the blanket, and settled in between her girls. They all linked hands and silently enjoyed the show.