Sheridan spent the rest of the workday whistling cheerfully and joking playfully with the guys. She had no idea how telling her behavior was to her friends, and didn't even realize how drastically her mood had changed since lunchtime. All she was aware of was the way the guys kept staring at her and even though she was in a great mood, she was becoming uncomfortable from the constant scrutiny.

"Almost time to pack it in, Patch. Any plans for tonight?"

"Yeah, I'm meeting the girls at the club."

"Yeah?" Bobby asked with his eyebrows high.

"Yeah. What's your problem?" Sheridan asked defensively

"Nothing. I just thought... nothing." The man took off his hard hat and walked away.

Sheridan looked at Phil and Tony and they seemed to be looking at her in a very disapproving fashion. "What? What's the fucking problem with me going out?"

"Well... after lunch and everything..." Tony began but clammed up at Sheridan's glare.

"What about lunch?" the blonde asked with narrowed eyes.

"Well you looked pretty... involved... you know..." Phil attempted to explain.

"Oh, I see. You guys saw me with Keefer, huh?" she said with a small smile, despite her annoyance.

"Keefer, yeah," Bobby nodded.

"And because I ate lunch with Keefer, I'm not supposed to go to the club with my friends?"

"Well... you know what happens when you go to the club," Phil grimaced after he spoke, knowing he'd have to further explain himself.

"No, why don't you tell me? And while you're all at it, maybe you can explain why you think it's a bad thing to do," Sheridan folded her arms and stood defiantly.

"You looked so, er, cozy with Keefer. We just thought maybe you guys were, ya know... a thing," Tony started.

"Yeah, and if you two are a... thing... then going to the club may be a bad idea," Phil finished.

"A thing," Sheridan said dryly. "Okay, so what if we do have a thing?" she wondered what they were getting at.

"Come on, Patch... what if there's a hot babe at the club that wants some of what you got? Do you think you can turn it down?" Bobby asked a bit accusingly.

Sheridan thought for a while. The more she thought, the more steamed she became, totally losing their concern and reading it as being nosy. "Oh, so you think Keefer owns me or something?"

"That's not what I'm saying," Bobby defended himself.

"You think because of my thing with Keefer I'm not allowed to look at a hot chick?" Sheridan was on a roll now and totally off the track. "I do what I want, guys, no one tells me what to do. If I want to dance, or fuck, it doesn't matter... Keefer doesn't tell me what to do, you don't either, no one does!" she shouted before stomping out of the room.

"Fuck me." Bobby covered his face with his hands.

"Well. That went well," Tony blew out a frustrated breath.

"How can she be so fucking stupid? Now she's going to go out and deliberately prove something," Bobby said angrily.

Phil nodded and finished packing up his tools. "She's just too fucking righteous. She knows nothing about love. She's gonna fuck someone just for the sake of fucking her and suffer with Keefer because of it."

"Maybe not. Maybe she'll cool down in time, and if she doesn't, maybe she'll feel guilty and not be able to do it."

"Who are you kidding, Tony, she can do it with her eyes closed and one foot in the grave," Bobby argued.

"Yeah, but love is love. Her crotch may not know it, but her heart does. I'd hate to see her fuck it all up with that woman all because of some fear of losing control," Tony shook his head sadly.

"Lets go, guys. No sense in worrying about it when we can't do anything to stop it."

*********************

The tall inspector was having a great afternoon, all because of her impromptu lunch with Sheridan. She seemed so relaxed and comfortable with me, and even made it a point to touch me whenever she could. Keefer smiled from the happy memory of herself sitting on the construction worker's lap, feeding her lunch. I never wanted to do that before. I wouldn't have believed that I'd act like that in a public place if it didn't happen.

Keefer made sure the house looked decent enough and went to the bedroom to change into something especially sexy for her lover. She was going to make dinner for them both and had every intention of having Sheridan for dessert.

*****************

Sheridan banged around her apartment with a serious attitude ever since she'd gotten home. The dogs were getting nervous and Pharaoh started whining with uneasiness, forcing Sheridan to see how she was acting.

"Hey, buddy, come here," she signaled to the nervous animal. "That's right, mommy's not mad at you," she said in as soothing a voice as she could muster, petting him lovingly. Once the dog was satisfied, he trotted away and lay down with a huge rawhide bone and chewed.

Sheridan was far from calm though and she realized she wouldn't be able to throw a temper tantrum around her traumatized dog. This made her feel frustrated, on top of the anger she already felt. Her mind was racing with broken thoughts and not so nice sentiments for her 'friends' at work. Not to mention she was entirely too confused about Keefer, and what role the tall woman would be playing in her life.

Did I make a fucking commitment to her? No. I didn't say anything about her owning me. She's not my wife, for Christ sakes, I can go out to the club without getting shit from the guys. Keefer knows I like to go out... she doesn't have a problem with it. Instead of kicking something for emphasis, the muscular woman threw her weight into the couch and crossed her arms angrily across her chest.

What the fuck? So, if a hot chick wanted to dance with me, what's the big deal? It's not like I'm fucking her, the blonde scowled. And if I did want to fuck her, who's business is that? It's not anybody's business except mine, she thought defiantly.

Sheridan stomped her booted feet into the bathroom and pulled her clothes off roughly. She was going to eat dinner, but her stomach was grinding into itself and food didn't seem like a great idea. Now all she wanted was a cool shower and to go out.

Yeah, that's right. Keefer's not my wife, she's my lover... and only cuz I said she was, and who ever came up with that title anyway? She's my girlfriend -- not my keeper. I can do whatever and whoever I want.

The muscular blonde was pretty pissed off and it wasn't apparent to her that she wasn't thinking clearly at all. Sheridan had never been involved in a serious relationship and, while she knew the rules that applied, she was in too much of a mood to realize that they related to her as well.

*********************

Keefer let the phone ring until the voicemail picked up and then she hung up and did it again. That's odd. Why isn't she answering her cell phone? She had been calling Sheridan for a long time now, with no answer and was getting worried. What is she doing? The tall woman furrowed her brows in thought and her old insecurities came rushing back in a big way. Did I do something wrong? Is she avoiding me? Keefer's heart picked up speed as she became nervous. She replayed their time together at the job site and paled. Oh no, the guys must have seen us and gave her a hard time! She felt tears welling up in her eyes. She's probably angry with me for showing up there. I'm so stupid! Keefer sat down on the floor in the living room and cried, feeling as if she'd ruined everything. She finally found true love and because she was being selfish, needing to see Sheridan that very minute, she had screwed it all up.

**********************

Sheridan's stomach growled as she drove towards the club. She'd never shown up so early before, and certainly not without eating. With the mood she was in, she was sure to be dancing her frustrations out and would never last the night if she didn't eat.

"Fine!" she yelled at her stomach, swerving into the Nathan's drive-thru. "You're having hot dogs and loving them," she said to her empty belly, which was really counting on some home-cooked Keefer vittles.

The blonde ate the hot dogs in the car after she parked at the club. It was strange for her to see so many available parking spaces and she was a little hesitant to enter the club if it was so empty. She turned up her radio and sang while she waited for a few more patrons to arrive. The first song was great and she bopped along to it as she sang. Halfway through the second song, the words reminded her of Keefer and she switched the station when she started feeling the hot dogs twist around inside of her. The new station was worse and the first words the guy sang were about Keefer, so she turned off the radio and the engine and got out, slamming the door behind her.

*********************

Keefer left a message and waited for Sheridan's call. It never came. Now she sat at the kitchen table and stared at the dinner she had made for the two of them. She was very upset at herself for acting like a love-struck teenager and running to the job site to see Sheridan. I should have known better; people like Sheridan don't fall in love with people like me. She didn't feel much like eating, but as she looked at the half-empty bottle of wine in her hand, she thought it might be a good idea to put something in her stomach besides alcohol. Pulling a plate in front of her, she began to pick the little cubes of cheese out of the salad she'd prepared. "There you go, Feefs," she said to the dog, "wine and cheese. I'm just a regular party animal."

Fifi came over from her spot by the front door at hearing her mommy say her name. She had been waiting for Sheridan ever since mommy set two plates at the table.

"Here, sweetie," Keefer handed the dog a carrot, which she crunched on happily. "Your mommy's an ass," she said with a sad sigh.

Fifi sat and looked up at her mommy, her tail brushed back and forth across the floor in hopes of another bit of food. Boy, was she surprised when her mommy handed her an entire chicken cutlet.

"You lucked out tonight, girl, don't let it go to your head." Keefer popped another piece of cheese in her mouth and washed it down with a large swallow of wine. "Leave it to me, I can ruin anything, given half the chance. I should have known better."

The dog dropped the chicken on the floor and climbed up on Keefer's legs, emitting a small, curious whine.

"What? Yeah, Sheridan's not coming, I fucked it up somehow. You eat her dinner, I'll just get drunk and throw up."

Fifi whined again and climbed down, mommy wasn't much for kisses at the moment, and took the cutlet into the living room to eat.

**********************

Sheridan felt out of place with the club being so empty, so she went to familiar territory. "Hiya, ma."

"Hey, Sher, you're here early, huh? What gives?"

"I needed to get away."

"Trouble in paradise?" Verna teased.

"There is no paradise. Why does everyone keep thinking that?" Sheridan blurted out angrily.

"Whoa, hey, back up there, little missy. I didn't deserve that, did I?" Verna said grabbing Sheridan's hand.

"Why does everyone think they can butt into my business?"

"Cuz you made it that way, hon."

Sheridan looked outraged. "I did not."

"Oh, please. You and your nightly exploits and bragging... everyone knows who you fuck and for how long."

The blonde's face turned grim, "Everyone?"

"How do you think I know about you forgetting Wanda's name? Or how you marked that donut shop cashier, or..."

"I get the picture, Verna," Sheridan winced. "What do you know about me and Keefer, smart ass?"

"I know that ever since you've been with that woman, you haven't touched another. Everyone knows that. Quite frankly, if the word spreads any further, we'll lose half our customers," she chuckled.

Sheridan didn't find it funny. "You too, huh?" she glared.

"Me too, what?" the coat check lady raised an eyebrow.

"You think that Keefer has me on a leash or something?"

"Or something," Verna smirked.

"You know what?" Sheridan thought briefly about her impending tirade then shook her head. She liked Verna; the blonde wasn't going to say something she didn't mean. "She does not, so just fuck you all."

Verna watched Sheridan disappear angrily into the club and pursed her lips. It would seem that her little Sheridan was having some big issues concerning Keefer. The blonde was confused and it was making her unjustifiably angry. The coat check woman thought she better grab Dawn and the girls before they got inside and let them in on their friend's behavior before they said the wrong thing. Damn, and I didn't even get my sugar today, she thought with a frown.

*******************

Keefer's pity party was well under way by the time she finished off a bottle and a half of wine, but unfortunately for her, she wasn't as drunk as she'd like to have been. She had changed into her baggy sweat pants and an oversized T-shirt and was camped out on the living room floor with a big bag of chips. The television flickered in the background, but she had long since muted the volume in order to carry on one-sided conversations with herself. Her words were slurry, but she was in control and was getting more and more frustrated by her inability to get stupid drunk. The brunette remembered getting far more inebriated on half a bottle of wine that night with Sheridan.

"Sheridan. You just had to go and think her name, didn't you?" Keefer scolded herself, pounding her fist into her forehead. "Just you forget about her. I'm sure she's forgotten about you already." The tall woman scrunched up her face in disgust, "Probably in the middle of forgetting right this very second." Keefer's eyes narrowed and she snickered deviously as she walked on her knees towards the phone. She hit the speed dial for Sheridan's cell phone and waited until it rang four times then hung up. "Shall we do it again, Feefs?" Keefer asked her sleeping dog and hit the redial button, the smirk still plastered to her face. "She better not have it on vibrate." As soon as she touched the phone, it rang.

************************

Sharon was the first to arrive at the club.ÝAfter Verna filled her in on Sheridan's attitude problem, the cop went outside to wait on Marie and Dawn who eventually came together in Dawn's car. By the time the three women had met up and discussed tactics, it was already after midnight, which meant Sheridan had been inside for over three hours. Lord only knew what she had gotten herself into at this point. After an initial scan of the club came up with no sign of Sheridan's head, they decided that Sharon would check the bathrooms while Marie and Dawn would scope the corners.

Sharon was rather pleased to not find her friend's boots occupying any of the stalls in either of the bathrooms and went to share the news with the others when she quite literally tripped over Sheridan.

"Watch it, bigfoot," the blonde said then laughed boisterously.

It was then that Marie came upon the construction worker as well and she stood with Sharon, taking in the scene. Sheridan was sitting on a carpeted platform with her legs stretched out in front of her. She was sitting between a girl's legs while another equallyÝyoung woman straddled her lap. There were numerous empty beer bottles littering the platform as well as an ashtray full of butts. Sharon and Marie both knew that their friend only smoked that much when she drank and that was a bad thing.

"She's toasted," Sharon said into Marie's ear.

Marie nodded, "Lemme go get Dawn. Looks like someone will be driving her home tonight."

Sharon scanned the area as all good cops do and spotted something she wished she hadn't. Danni was sitting at a small table all by herself with a bowl of pretzels from the bar, looking as if she were watching a movie, a smug smile stretched from one ear to the other. Fuck, Sharon thought and made her way over to the grinning redhead.

"You see something interesting, Danni?"

"Why, yes, yes I do," she snickered, now get out of the way so I can see how it ends."

"Well, I'll tell you something, if Keefer finds out about this little moment of temporary insanity, I will haunt you."

Danni dared Sharon with her eyes.

"Don't you drive that little red car out there on the corner?" the cop smirked.

"It's too late."

"What do you mean, it's too late?" Sharon asked with a sneer.

"I already called Keefer," the redhead said with a bark of a laugh.

Sharon grabbed the woman by her shirt collar, lifted her out of her seat before thinking better of it and threw her back down in her chair. "Fucking asshole," she muttered and slunk back into a corner.

The tall cop observed from the darkness as the girl on Sheridan's lap took the cigarette out of the blonde's mouth, took a drag off of it and then placed it back between Sheridan's lips after kissing them. The girl behind her was kneading her shoulders and back, her hands underneath the leather jacket that her friend always wore. Sharon knew she should stop Sheridan from doing something she'd be sure to regret, but she also knew that not only was her friend drunk, she was going to accuse her of interfering.ÝInstead, the cop just stood there helplessly as the girl from behind started kissing Sheridan's neck.

"You smell so good, Sheridan," the girl from behind said with a shiver.

"I taste even better," Sheridan replied, bending her head back to receive a kiss.

"Want another beer, Sheridan?" lap-girl asked, dangling an empty bottle between their bodies, clearly vying for attention.

"Mmm, sure, sweetie, I'll keep my lap warm for ya," the blonde drawled.

Marie and Dawn approached just as the girl from behind started to suck on their friend's neck.

"Shit," Dawn said angrily.

"No kidding. Lap-girl just went for more beer. Should I stop her at the bar?" Sharon asked her friends.

"Let me go," Marie said,Ýnarrowing her eyes at Sheridan who was hauling the girl up onto her empty lap.

"See? I told ya, I ain't married or nuthin," Sheridan said drunkenly, holding up her left hand for show. "It's all some sick rumor -- a college prank gone wrong," she snickered at herself. The girl whispered in Sheridan's ear and the blonde shivered, then grabbed the back of the girl's head and kissed her hard.

"That's it," Dawn said loudly and walked up to Sheridan. "Hey, kissy lips, break it up."

Sheridan peeked out of one eye and waved her friend away. Dawn poked her on the shoulder repeatedly until she broke the kiss and frowned. "Uh, I'm busy, Dawn," the blonde winked dramatically, patting the girl on the ass.

"Oh, I can see that, Sheridan," Dawn smiled sweetly.

Sheridan looked puzzled for a moment then busted out laughing, "Oh, you wanna watch? Hey, no problem, buddy." She pointed to herself and grinned. "Watch the master and learn," she said cockily and resumed kissing the girl on her lap. When that kiss ended, she opened her eyes slowly and focused. "You still here? Where the hell is whassername and my beer?" she slapped the girl on the ass again and motioned for her to get up.

Sharon grimaced as Sheridan stood up and teetered slightly. "How many beers have you had, Sher?" she asked.

"Oh! Hiya, Sharon!" the blonde said loudly as she slapped the tall cop on the shoulder... hard. "How's it hangin?" Sheridan turned to the giggling girl who seemed to be attached to her hip and attempted to whisper. "She's a cop. She has a gun."

Sharon wrapped her big hand around Sheridan's bicep and yanked her closer, "I asked you how many beers you drank."

"Ow, hey... no need to get touchy," Sheridan wiggled out of the grasp and brushed off her arm then held up five fingers. "Two."

Giggling girl merely giggled and wrapped herself around Sheridan again. "Who are these people, Sheridan?" she whined. "Make them go away."

Sheridan smiled. "I got a better idea, why don't we go away?" she winked at the girl and they stumbled towards the bar.

"Okay, hotshot, now what?" Dawn asked.

"Nothing. We let Marie at them," Sharon snickered and pointed at the bar where Sheridan was hoisting her drunken self up onto a stool, Marie standing right at her side.

********************

"So, who's the ho?" Marie asked.

"Excuse me?" the girl asked, planting both hands on her hips.

"Oh, Sheridan," the girl that disappeared purred, "I have your beer," she handed Sheridan the bottle and stood between her legs.

"Where the hell did you go?" the blonde asked and then drank down two long swallows of beer.

"She wouldn't let me go," the girl pouted and pointed at Marie.

"She's mine, baby, deal with it," Sheridan said to her friend, then pulled the girl tighter between her legs by wrapping them around her.

The girl that came down to the bar with Sheridan pouted and came up behind her, and whispered something in her ear; Sheridan stopped kissing the first girl and started kissing the second girl.

Marie took the beer bottle out of Sheridan's hand and scowled. "So, Sheridan, how's Keefer?"

Sheridan tore her mouth away from the girl and glared at Marie. "How the fuck should I know? I'm not her keeper."

"Well, I just thought since she's your girlfriend, you'd know how she was."

The girl between Sheridan's legs crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the blonde, "You said you didn't have a girlfriend."

"Actually, I said I don't have a wife," the blonde laughed and tried to pull the girl back, but she stepped out of reach.

"That's terrible! You lied to me! You have a girlfriend and you're fucking around with, not one, but two girls?"

"I'm not sleeping with ya, for Christ sakes," Sheridan chuckled. "Keefer doesn't own me."

"No, I'm sure she doesn't, but does she even know what you're doing?" the second girl came out from behind Sheridan and asked.

"No, but she knows I like to go out..."

"You're such an ass, Sheridan!" the first girl said before stomping away.

"I can't believe you let me believe you were single," the second girl said with as much anger and she, too, fled.

Sheridan narrowed her eyes at her smiling friend. "What the hell are you trying to do?"

Marie watched as her friend swayed on her bar stool drunkenly and shook her head in disappointment. "What are you trying to do?"

"I'm just having a good time, is all... what does it look like?"

"It looks like you're running away from something, or someone."

The blonde made a face as if Marie were being ridiculous. "Me? I never run away from shit. I ain't afraid of no one," she insisted, poking herself in the chest.

"Oh, no? Where's Keefer?"

"How the hell should I know? Probably home."

Dawn came up on Sheridan's side and put a heavy hand on her shoulder. "It's a good thing she's home, Sher, 'cuz she'd be pretty pissed off if she saw you sucking face with those women."

"Why should she care? She's not my wife," Sheridan waved her hand and then became interested in it as it moved.

"You're piss-assed drunk, fucking with two girls and your lover is at home, crying."

"She's not crying," Sheridan said confidently.

"Oh, I bet she is," Sharon said, appearing in front of the drunk blonde, holding Danni by the arm.

Sheridan's mouth went dry and she felt her heart pounding hard. "Why would she be crying?" she asked the wincing redhead.

"Cuz I called her and told her what you were doing."

Sheridan swung an impressive right hook that would have been something if it had connected. Instead, she missed and wound up pulling herself off of the stool with the momentum and landed, legs up on the floor, flat on her ass.

Danni couldn't help but laugh and Sheridan's friends had a hard time controlling themselves, too, at the sight.

"Owwww," the blonde whined from the floor, getting up on all fours.

Dawn raised an eyebrow at her friend's uncharacteristic sound effect.

Sharon released Danni and let her run and hide just in case Sheridan had knocked some sense into herself.

"That sucked," the blonde said, laughing and rubbing her ass as she stood up. It would seem she had completely forgotten the conversation. "Hey, where's the chicks?" she asked, trying to push past Marie.

"You, my friend, are going home," Dawn said, pulling Sheridan by the arm.

"No, the night's just beginning! I don't wanna go home!"

"You're shit-faced, girl. You're gonna wind up doing something you'll regret," Marie said.

Sheridan looked somber for a moment. "I already did."

"So, let's get you home before you really blow it."

"It's too late, guys, Keefer hates me, Danni told her I'm a slut. I'm not good enough for her. Let me go."

"Nope," Dawn said, wrapping an arm around her slurring friend, "this is when you need friends the most, buddy."

"I'm really not married to her, you know," Sheridan said seriously.

"We know that," Sharon said, "but she is your girlfriend and she deserves some respect. Even you know about respect, Sheridan."

The women walked outside to Dawn's car,Ýwith Marie holding the drunken blonde up as she stumbled over her own feet.

"She loves me, you know. I can see it. She shouldn't love me," Sheridan said sadly, turning to face the car and resting her forehead on the window.

"Everyone deserves the chance, hon."

Sheridan shook her head rapidly. "No, not me. Not with Keefer." The blonde smiled. "Keefer. KeeferKeeferKeeferKeefer. Isn't that the coolest name?" she asked as if she just heard the name for the first time.

Dawn rolled her eyes. "She's gonna puke in my car."

"No, she won't," Marie said with a nervous laugh.

"Did you SEE how blue her eyes are? God, they're like, so blue... they're just... blue."

"She is sooo gonna puke in my car."

Sharon snickered, "I got a better idea. I'll drive her home in her car."

"I like that idea," Dawn smiled and turned Sheridan around. "Where's your car?"

"Huh?" the blonde closed her eyes and swayed forward.

"Great. I'll find her car, you stay here with her," Sharon said as she fished through Sheridan's pockets.

"Woohoo! Is that your gun or are you happy to see me?"

Sharon held up the keys and shook her head, then went to look for Sheridan's car.

"Did you ever notice that when Keefer blushes, one of those big blushes, she curls her toes?"

"Maybe we shouldn't talk about Keefer any more, Sher," Marie said with a knowing grin, her friend was treading on a fine line of too much information.

"Why not? She's so perfect... everything... people should write poems about Keefer," the blonde said in all seriousness.

"Well then why don't you write one?" Dawn said, amused by the whole conversation.

"I'M SUCH AN ASS!" Sheridan screamed suddenly.

"Pipe down, you idiot!" Marie said more out of fright than embarrassment.

"KEEFER LOVES ME AND I'M SUCH AN ASSHOLE!"

"Good lord, shut her up!" Dawn said looking around for spectators.

Sheridan stood in the middle of the street and yelled, "I'M THE WORLD'S BIGGEST FUCK UP!" She paused when she noticed the black sportscar pull up. "THAT'S MY CAR!!" Dawn slapped her hand over her mouth, so Sheridan pointed as Sharon pulled up.

"Why is she yelling? I could hear her from all the way around the corner."

"I don't fucking know!" Marie said in obvious distress.

"Just get her in the car, please," the cop rolled her eyes as the blonde fell over onto her lap, "and buckle her up."

"Are those my feet?" Sheridan asked, looking at Sharon's feet. "Boy, they're big."

"Upsy daisy, Sher," Marie pulled her up into a sitting position.

"Whoa... head rush," Sheridan slurred.

part 28