Dani’s Arrival
I took too much time feeling old in the mirror. There were new grey hairs in my eyebrows. It had started with my right eyebrow but both were now giving off serious mad scientist energy. My stomach growled and I remembered I had a muffin hidden in the breadbox. I had washed it down with another sip of cold coffee when I realized Bex was already waiting for me in the car. I was late, per usual, when I grabbed my phone, wallet, and bag. I dodged the pile of shoes by our door and jogged to the car. Bex had managed to get it out of the sea of vehicles that littered our driveway. I found her spatial awareness and planning to be incredibly hot. I told her so and we left.
Despite her cautious driving, Bex had made it on the island in good time, but we found ourselves behind the drawbridge. Traffic was relatively tame outside of tourist season, but boats were a year-round issue and this was a busy thoroughfare for anglers, kayakers, and stand-up paddle boarders.
I hit the button for the sunroof and it startled Bex. She yipped and I apologized and realized there was something on her mind. We had both been stressed about the wedding, our guests, and spending time alone with family. As codependent lesbians, we rarely did that. I leaned toward Bex and tried to lighten the mood, “Wanna make out?”
I placed my hand on Bex’s bare thigh, suggesting more if she’d play along. She was wearing those short shorts that hugged her curves and the low v-neck top that made her cleavage oh so ample. The sun had warmed her skin and the salty breeze danced through her long caramel hair. She was an absolute feast for the eyes. I was always impressed that she picked me.
Bex smiled, took my hand, and lifted it to her lips for a gentle kiss, “No. We aren’t making a scene.”
I pouted, then stuck out my bottom lip. With much effort, I softened my eyes, trying to push my luck. She smiled, “Not fair.”
I wiggled my eyebrows salaciously as she leaned into me. Her warm breath tickled but her eyes were insistent. She wanted this as much as I did. We’d had little time to ourselves with family arriving an entire week prior to the wedding.
Our lips met, a gentle caress with the promise of more, as soon as possible. We were looking forward to the honeymoon. Her lips parted and as the tip of her tongue touched my lip, my phone dinged. It sounded off like that nostalgic plumber who head-butts boxes for coins. I kicked myself as she sat back. Bex looked at the phone and with no surprise to her voice, she offered, “It’s Erin.”
I stole another kiss and collected my phone. The message said, “WHERE ARE YOU? We’re waiting on you AGAIN” Erin was impossible. I read it to Bex and laughed, knowing it was bound to be worse in person if she were this blunt in a text. We laughed and I took a deep breath.
Erin prefers if things went her way. If they don’t, then she becomes challenging to maneuver. Not a task for the faint of heart or backbone. Usually I do well, but a balance must be struck quickly and consistently.
The mast of a massive yacht crossed the bridge gap. It was heading upriver and doing so slowly. It seemed to be the only one waiting and with luck the bridge began to descend.
“I’ll let them know we’ll be there soon-ish,” I offered as I started typing. In return I immediately got a thumbs up from Erin and then separately, privately, I got a text, then another, and another. Individually Zora, Lizzie, and Spencer had all texted, “Hurry!”
I told Bex and she suggested that I drop a pin for Erin, “So she can follow the dot.” It was a great idea. I sent her our exact location and the ability to see where we were on the map for the next hour. It wouldn’t take an hour to get there, but it would give her something to focus on.
Erin responded, “HURRY.”
We laughed and Bex got serious about driving 35 mph. It was slower than the posted speed limit, but at least traffic was moving. I’ve always been calm, but drivers around here make me shake my head daily.
Bex broke the silence, “Do you know what they have planned?”
I shook my head, “Not a clue. I’m completely in the dark.” My friends had given me plausible deniability by keeping the night secret, but as I heard the leather on the steering wheel creak under her grip I knew it was the wrong answer.
“I don’t like that answer,” she added as she glanced sideways. I started to answer, but she continued, “Dani please stay out of trouble. I won’t kill you, but my mother will.”
I took a deep breath as I tried to find the right words. Bex’s mother would kill me in the right circumstances but I try not to provide those for her. “Spencer is hosting us in his parents’ new beach house. He said something about doing a review for them, but don’t worry. I’ll have food and shelter, only the fun parts were left a mystery.”
Bex glared at me. She looked off the road for a moment, “You’re not helping.” That was punctuated by her maneuvering around a slower vehicle. She wasn’t angry. Bex rarely got mad or held anything against me. We could usually laugh it off or kiss and make up. Still there were days when I knew I had pushed too far.
Bex added, “You’ll be kicked out of at least one bar and have a new tattoo to regret by the morning.”
I stood my ground, sort of, “I don’t regret my tattoos. They ALL tell an interesting story.”
“Ha!” She laughed and countered, “You’re telling me the armadillo carrying a houseplant is a good story?”
I looked down at the crook of my arm, my little armadillo buddy had been with me since the summer after college. Spencer and I had gotten intoxicated with our professor who was also a tattoo artist. She was doing so to help pay off her student loans. I’m still not sure how we landed on armadillo artwork, but I do remember laying on a couch and playing with her cat. Her name was Miss Cleo.
I sat back, but kept smiling, “Point made. Don’t worry, I’ve informed Spencer that there will be minimal shenanigans.”
Bex clicked her tongue, but I squeezed her leg and explained that, “Undoubtedly we will eat too much and have a few drinks. It is most likely that we’ll partake in some of Spencer’s finest herbs while Lizzie bakes cookies until we are satisfied. Nothing to worry about there.”
Still doubtful she smiled, but her amber brown eyes never left the road as she delivered her last warning, “For your sake, I hope you’re right.”
I sat back and watched traffic dissipate as we approached the island. Tourist season being over meant that we would get across the bridge without waiting in a line of cars and golf carts. There are two red lights on the island. Bex was stopped at both, but at the last one, Bex turned to me, “I’ve accepted you’ll get into some kind of trouble, but whatever happens, I’m glad you’re doing it. I didn’t think you were going to.”
I smiled. She’s right, I almost didn’t. I watched as a small group of women that started their journey across the road in front of us and it reminded me that I had been surprised that all my friends could plan to be together. Life had been heavy lately, each of us weighed down in different directions with personal responsibilities.
It had been weeks since I had laid eyes on Erin, and almost a month had passed for Zora and Spencer. Lizzie was the only person I saw within the last week and it was a quick visit with instructions to adjust some things on her website. I manage that for her and make any changes she needs.
At one time we had kept a lively group text alive, but that had fizzled to random memes and emojis. I rarely look at my phone now, and since Bex’s family came to town I have been busier than usual. Everyone was staying with us. Everyone. I have never met someone with so many relatives. There are so many cousins coming to the wedding that I’m suspicious that “cousin” is just what they call someone they kinda like.
I’m not saying that I’m miserable. Everyone is friendly, but I’m feeling overwhelmed by the energy of them. Maybe it’s a form of agoraphobia or claustrophobia from the lack of actual space. Our place is not very big, as is. I love Bex’s family. They’re mine, too. I’m allowed to feel some sorta way, but maybe that’s something I can discuss in therapy. Later.
The light turned, so I redirected the conversation, “Yeah, it was this or wrestling cousin Darren and Junie for a space on the couch.” I demonstrated my fighting prowess with a few well timed karate chops to an invisible opponent. I tried not to laugh, but when Bex broke I did too.
“Don’t make me turn this car around young lady,” She tried to recover but her warning just made us giggle more.
As we recovered and Bex made the last left turn off Main Street, “I know it’s been difficult to find personal space this week. I didn’t imagine that they’d start coming down a week early. Thank you for being so good with everyone. Have I told you that I appreciate it?”
I was proud of myself too, “Yes, but thank you for saying so.”
Bex’s family loved to visit and their favorite group activity was shopping. They love to find a bargain and when tourist season ends, you can find them everywhere. It’s not so much about buying the stuff as much as it is the search the best deal on something to make someone happy. From designer to yard sale, they will shop it all.
Ahead of us was a golf cart and not much else. The driver waved us around and I saw the older couple being driven by a younger couple. The oldies were holding hands and smiling from ear to ear. Bex drove around them and I offered, “Maybe that’ll be us one day. Being driven around because we can’t be trusted to see the road or not get lost.”
“Maybe so,” she said with a grin. I took her hand in mine and kissed each knuckle while I attempted to look for house numbers. They were impossible to find unless you crept by slowly gawking at porches. We’d normally know where we’re going, but Spencer’s parents’ place was new to us and to them.
“What’s the house number again?” Bex asked to be sure.
“1313. It’s a blue-grey house with a wraparound porch and a circular driveway,” I offered all the information I had. I was lucky to remember that, but I was hoping to be more helpful than that. I could tell that Bex was feeling the stress. Her arm was tense. I drew circles across her skin as we searched.
“I’m going to miss you tonight,” I offered. Bex seemed to relax a little under my touch, but not enough.
She sighed, “I’ll miss you too.”
I added, “Just think. Next time you see me we’ll be getting hitched. Hold onto that happy thought tonight when you’re sandwiched between gassy grandma and your wiggle worm niece.”
We both laughed and were still laughing when we pulled into almost the last driveway on this side of the island. It was a one-story blue-grey, stilted house with a white porch and black accents. There was a substantial palmetto tree in the yard and minimal landscaping outside the driveway. The house met many of the beach house requirements with the addition of hurricane shutters and a quirky name. It was called the Enchanted Escape.
The front door of the beach house opened. Erin must have been dot-watching because a parade of my friends followed her onto the porch to greet us. The sky behind the house was dark navy as a thunderstorm threatened to interrupt our night. Bex pulled through the driveway and parked. I closed the sunroof and she kissed me for remembering. We hopped out of the car and Bex met me at the trunk to grab the bag she had packed for me.
“I hope I thanked you enough for this,” I said as I settled the strap onto my shoulder. Bex untwisted it and smoothed the strap across my chest, stopping just over my heart with her delicate hand. I held her hand there and we looked at each other for only a moment before the wolf whistles sounded from the porch. Bex rolled her eyes up to my friends and I laughed.
Erin crossed her arms and leaned over the porch, her green-eyed glare was laser focused on me, “You’re late.”
“Hello to you too,” I rolled my eyes and centered myself for her response, but Bex tried to help, “Yeah, we got stuck behind the drawbridge…”
Interrupting, Erin didn’t let her make excuses for me, “We all know it’s Dani’s fault Bex, always is.”
I laughed again, but Erin didn’t seem happy with me. Bex nudged me and I smiled. Looking up at Erin, I apologized, “I’m sorry I made us late. It won’t happen again. Okay?”
Erin smugly smiled and accepted the apology. Bex poked me in the center of my chest, “Behave yourself. And whatever you do, don’t be late tomorrow.”
She raised her voice and looked from me to my friends, sighting them one by one as she sternly said, “Dani is to be on the beach at 9 am. I expect everyone here will ensure that happens.”
Without hesitating, Bex turned to Spencer. His eyes grew wide and he brushed his short blond hair off his forehead. He did that when he was nervous. “I expect you to prevent any new tattoos, bar fights, or situations that would prevent Dani from being on the beach at 9 AM just as she is in this moment.”
Our muscle bound heartthrob was no match for Bex, he raised his hands in retreat and promised, “I swear.” He mimicked drawing a cross with his hand over his heart and tried to act fearful of her wrath. He failed because he always smiled with his eyes. Spencer blinked and held her gaze.
Bex shook her head, “Batting those baby blues won’t work on me, I know you’re trouble, cutie.”
We all laughed.
Lizzie, our resident mom sans kids, offered some encouragement, “Don’t worry Rebecca, we’ll take good care of Dani.” She stood with her arm around Zora who nodded in agreement. Strands of Zora’s red-blonde hair swept across her face. As she tried to control her hair, Lizzie produced a hair tie and clip option from her shoulder bag. We call it her bag of tricks. It made Zora smile, which made us smile.
Bex grinned and looked at me, “I love you, Danibear.”
I scooped her into my arms and asked, “Forever and always?”
She replied, “Always and forever, my love.”
We kissed until we got more cat calls than were appropriate for our neighbors to hear. I walked Bex back to the car and tucked her in safely, seatbelt secure. One more kiss and Bex left me at the mercy of my dearest friends.
Striking a pose against the shutters, Spencer managed to flex his muscles while throwing an arm over his eyes in a dramatic gesture. “Come on Danibear, my youth is drifting by the hour! We simply cannot let that happen!”
“Youth? Ha! You’re older than me,” Erin added.
Spencer frowned as he peaked from behind his arm. He looked at me, already showing the signs of Erin-frustration. It was too early. Not a good sign.
I shook my head and started walking up the stairs, “Erin?”
She crossed her arms and I realized she saw Spencer’s look. Erin scolded me with her eyes, but asked, “What did I do?.”
I softened my smile and asked Erin to “Please try to keep it light and fun.” I tried using my best defenseless kitten pose, but I caught movement out of the corner of my eye. Someone had stepped up to the sheer curtain, “Who’s that?”
“Who what?” Spencer asked.
I stopped on the stairs to point at the window. Everyone turned toward the window and I explained that I saw someone standing behind the curtain. Spencer shook his head as he looked around, “This is everyone.” He leaned against the window and added, “I don’t see anything, but maybe I left a window open.”
I looked at the window again and shook my head. Nothing was there, but I didn’t have time to worry. The sky took that moment to open up and start pouring down on me. I ran for the porch and we quickly ducked inside.
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