Copyright © 1999/2000: My intellectual property. All rights reserved. No part or whole of this work may be copied or used in any shape, form, or manner whatsoever without the author's express written consent. Don't be afraid to ask. The bard doesn't bite·

Disclaimers: The prerequisite disclaimers.

Intellectual Property: The characters are wholly my own. Any similarities drawn between them and any persons, plants, or animals, living and dead, are figments of your imagination. However, some places and products mentioned in the story do exist. No infringement is intended. (Hey, look on the bright side! Free publicity! Yeah!)

Ratings/Language/Violence: R-rated. Generally, the language and violence is mild, as is the sex. However, at risk of spoiling some surprises, the story deals with sensitive issues like overbearing parents, youth violence, rape, and murder.

Sex: Love is expressed between two consenting ladies. If that bothers you, then for the love of God (or a higher being or beings, if any), get help.

Age: If this material is illegal where you live and/or if you are underage then find something else to do.

NOTES: Mickey is NOT the main character. Be patient and you'll meet the two leading heroines in no time at all. Also, this story takes place over about the span of a decade. If you want to see sign language, go to this web site. http://www.bconnex.net/~randys/

I'd also like to thank everyone who helped. Thanks to Steph, Critic, Ink, and everyone else who has contributed.

Author's Note: I'd like to thank the wonderful people at Xenaverso for honoring AITF with the Olé award. Check the Xenaverso out at http://www.atenea.easynet.co.uk/xenaverso/fanfic/fanfic_ole.htm

If you have any feedback, suggestions, or comments, please let the bard know at sarkel_bard@yahoo.com You are guaranteed a reply if you so wish. Constructive criticism is accepted Don’t Be Shy! J

ALMOST TWO YEARS LATER

"Hhheeeeyyyy, Helen-babelicious." Barry winked at his colleague as he staggered into the conference room and nearly tripped over a chair. "Where’s our clients? What a way to start Monday!"

Helen’s head jerked up at the sudden noise and stared at her friend in horror. His once thick mane of luxurious black hair, usually perfectly styled, stuck out in disarray. She recognized the navy blue double-breasted suit as the one Barry wore last Friday. Today it was wrinkled and creased as if he had quite literally slept in it. "Barry!" she called in alarm, leaping from her chair.

Helen sprinted to Barry and put her arm around the dishelved man, letting him rest his weight on her. She led her taller companion to the nearest chair and sat him down gingerly. He’d been drinking all weekend, apparently. The stink of days-old alcohol pervaded his breath and the telltale puffy bags under his lethargic blue eyes told of many sleepless nights. "You ok, Barry?" The slim woman pulled up a chair and studied her co-worker seriously.

"Where’s our clients?" Barry’s slurred and drunken whispers were nearly impossible to understand.

"Barry…" Helen placed her smooth, dark hand over the older man’s bigger and stronger hand. "The meeting was two hours ago. We lost the account." She studied his eyes somberly.

"What?" Barry yelled and slammed a fist on the table. "Damn fuckers! What’s their problem?"

Helen kept her voice even and neutral. "You were late and since you had the paperwork, they left. They waited for you for an hour."

"Fuck!" Barry snarled. "That was a multi-million dollar client!" He swiveled around in the chair and pulled his beautiful co-worker closer to him. "Don’t you worry none, babelicious. I’ll get ‘em." He leered into her chocolate brown eyes. "You’re a tiger. Anyone ever told ya how pretty you are?"

Barry’s arrogant behavior and offending smell antagonized the younger woman. She abruptly broke free of her stronger friend. "Where did this come from? Things were looking up at home last week."

Barry waved Helen’s comments away casually. "Susan pulled the same old shit. Beau this, Beau that! I need this, I need that. You’re having an affair…yadda yadda." He placed his elbows on the table and rubbed his forehead gingerly, feeling a developing bump. "And that fucking Julia won’t help me find Sam!"

"I see." Helen glanced at the clock discreetly. Lunch hour. "Let me take you home. You need rest." The dusky woman reached for her appointment book on the conference table.

"Nuh-uh, I don’t. Lemme go find them clients." He punched the air with an enthusiastic fist. Barry wobbled as he stood.

"No." Helen’s reply was firm and final. "You’ll irritate them even more in this state. I am taking you home. You are going to nap and rest. If Susan’s there, I’ll drive you right back here for a nice doze in your office."

Barry grinned at the beautiful woman before him. "Ya wanna have an affair?"

"What?" Helen was incredulous as she skimmed through her appointments. Her meetings would just have to wait, because Barry was crashing. If he didn’t pull himself together soon, the whole firm would go to hell right along with him.

"Ya heard me." Barry sneered as he grasped the woman’s firm and shapely butt in both of his hands. "Owwie mama. Ya hot."

Helen wasn’t fazed. She simply pried the older man’s fingers off her body and stepped back stiffly, glaring at him. "Enough. You need help."

"Nuh-uh, I don’t need nothin’!" Barry exclaimed before he crashed to the floor, his motionless body crumpled.

"Oh brother!" Helen crossed her arms and considered the spectacle on the floor beneath her. Barry was a great guy and she hated to see his life go down the drain. He had worsened considerably when his daughter had stormed out of the house a couple winters ago, never to return. He’d had his ups and downs since then, but lately, all he seemed to experience were downs, and each was more worrisome than the last.

She felt helpless because she had no experience with alcoholism. She wasn’t even sure if Barry’s drinking would be classified as alcoholism. Finally, Helen summoned the secretary, Mary Jane, to help haul Barry to her car.

The drive to the Cannizarro house took fifteen minutes, but Helen wasn’t able to enjoy the scenic view of the gloriously colored trees and the romantic chill of the upcoming winter. Barry wasn’t quite passed out. He tossed in his seat, and mumbled an incomprehensible and infinite number of words.

Helen sighed in relief as she turned into her partner’s driveway. Susan’s Cadillac was notably absent from the garage. A battered Pinto sat in the driveway like a sore thumb, indicating someone was home.

The dark-eyed woman scrutinized the still man beside her. He’d be ok for now. Her high heels clicking on the driveway, Helen strode to the front door and rang the doorbell.

"Coming!" The soft feminine voice that called from within automatically brought a smile to Helen’s face. She’d chatted with Allison Albrecht on several occasions, but only for a few minutes each at most. The young blonde was unquestionably endearing, cute, sweet, smart, alluringly shy, and not to mention drop dead gorgeous, albeit in a different fashion than her runaway stepsister.

Feathery footfalls sounded across the living room and the front door opened to reveal Allison’s smiling face. Helen looked into the slightly shorter woman’s friendly jade depths and for a moment, forgot the purpose of her visit.

"Helen?" Allison furrowed her brows in confusion. "You work with Barry, right?" Alarm crossed her fair features and she stepped onto the porch, concerned. Her gaze automatically turned to the driveway and onto a crumpled figure in a car.

"Yes." Helen smiled, hoping the light blush on her face had gone unnoticed. "He’s had too much to drink today. He really shouldn’t be at work."

Allison sighed heavily and moved closer to the taller woman. "I’m glad you’re here. I’ve tried to talk to him, but he won’t listen!" The evident frustration in Allison’s voice ended on a note of despair. "I didn’t know who to turn to. He doesn’t have many friends… Look, let’s get him into bed."

"My thoughts exactly." Helen grinned at the blonde. She hadn’t seen Allison for a few months, but she was maturing beautifully. The curves of her hips and the swell of her breasts stood out easily from the green-eyed young woman’s tight jeans and cashmere sweater.

"Nice set of wheels," Allison noted in admiration. Helen’s brand new vehicle was a navy blue BMW that obviously cost a pretty penny.

The older woman chuckled as she used the remote to unlock the passenger side door. "You’ll get one of those someday." She nudged Barry with a perfectly manicured nail, but he didn’t budge. "Finally passed out." Helen sighed.

"Great." Allison groaned, rolling her eyes. "Just like my father."

"Pardon?" Helen tilted her head.

"What? Oh…" I said that out loud, didn’t I? Allison grinned in embarrassment, red creeping onto her face. "My father had a problem with the drink too," she whispered.

"I see. I didn’t mean to pry." Helen’s reassuring squeeze on Allison’s shoulder broke the tension. "We best get a chair and roll Barry into the house."

Ten sweaty minutes later, Allison and Helen managed to heave Barry into the gigantic bed that he used to share with Susan. Noting the worried look on Allison’s face, Helen quipped: "Boy, I could use a drink right about now."

The blonde chuckled. "Sure. I’ll lead the way." Helen followed Allison into the kitchen, enjoying the younger woman’s assets.

"Looks like a whole new house," the taller woman observed. "When I was here for Senator Cannizarro’s party, the couch was green, right? And there wasn’t a Matisse on the wall either."

"Momma buys a new house interior every month, practically. It’s her religion." Allison sighed. "Liquor’s in the pantry. What’ll you have?"

"Hmm. Nothing strong. I’ll have water." Helen studied the living room and kitchen. Glossy photographs of the Cannizarros, especially of the toddler Beau adorned the walls.

"Water? Of course." Allison grinned and extracted two bottles of Perrier from the refrigerator. "Care to sit on the couch?" The blonde frowned as Helen’s eyes flickered to the oven timer. "I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to keep you from work."

Helen held up her hand. "Work can wait. We need to talk about Barry’s problem. Do you have time now?"

"Yep." Allison unscrewed the bottle top and led her companion into the living room. "No classes or work for me today, thank goodness! Mondays are my days off."

Helen sat sideways, crossing her ankles as she faced Allison on the off-white sofa. "How’s college going?"

The blonde placed her drink on the end table and tucked her legs under her as she considered Helen’s question. "Not bad. One more year to go. I graduate this spring, two semesters early. Took summer school, took some college courses in high school. Woo-hoo!" Allison laughed, stretching her legs out onto the ottoman. "I don’t know how you got through law school, Helen."

Helen patted Allison’s shoulder. "I don’t know how I did it either," she cracked. "Hang in there." The older woman picked up a framed photo from the glass cocktail table in front of the couch. Globs of chocolate frosting smeared Beau’s cherubic cheeks as he blew out the lone candle on his cake. The boy had his father’s jet-black hair and his mother’s dark gray eyes. Already, Beau was big for his age, tall, bulky and stocky. Barry stood behind his son in the photo, a neutral expression on the older man’s face.

"Beau’s a cute boy," Helen mused. "He must be darling."

"Uhh…" Allison grinned. "No comment."

Helen half-smiled and replaced the picture. "Is that right? You don’t like the pitter-patter of little feet around the house?"

"No, no." Allison shook her head resolutely. "That’s not it at all. My mother spoils Beau rotten. Whatever Beau wants, he gets." She tucked a strand of strawberry blonde hair behind her ear. "And it doesn’t help that Barry’s never home. He doesn’t even know Beau’s favorite cartoons."

"I know. He’s practically moved into the office now. Has a fresh suit and a toothbrush there." Helen swallowed. It was time for them all to face facts. "Allison, I’m getting worried about your stepfather. He’s drinking all the time. He sleeps overnight at work often, shows up for meetings in rumpled and wrinkled clothes. He always smells of alcohol. He’s my friend and I want to help him before his drinking gets out of control."

Allison met Helen’s eyes for a fleeting moment, then quickly broke the contact. "I’d love to help but I don’t think I would be an effective voice of reason, so to speak," the blonde whispered, memories of her own drunken father coming back to her. "Do you think he…" Allison shifted her eyes downward, studying her companion’s manicured nails. "What do you suggest?"

Helen leaned into the younger woman. "I’m afraid Barry’s becoming too dependent on alcohol. I’ve talked to him about it but he just waves it off. He needs help now. He is out of control." She leaned back, placing a finger on her chin. "Barry respects you. Perhaps if we talked to him together, he’d listen."

Allison half-smiled at the compliment. "I’m just his stepdaughter." She looked up into her couchmate’s concerned face. Fine lines graced Helen’s caramel colored features. Her mystical brown eyes were strangely exotic, proof of her distinct Japanese lineage. She exuded an aura of maturity and confidence. Helen wore a sharp dark business pantsuit that emphasized the intense angles of her face. A minimal amount of make-up accented her high cheekbones and long, dark eyelashes. Her hair was black, like shining glass. There was a soft color in her sweet curled lips.

The blonde wondered for a fleeting moment what it would be like to kiss those full lips. She speculated if Helen and Barry had something going on the side. Not that she blamed her stepfather; Helen looked and moved like a model or a dancer, plus she had brains.

Helen made an incredulous noise. "Barry never opens up about anything but he talks about you all the time. He holds you in high esteem, Allison. He’s always talking about you, your 3.9 GPA in college, how you don’t take anything for granted. He’s proud of the fact you worked your way through college with little financial support from him. So, yes, you’re more than just his stepdaughter."

Allison’s eyes shone at the glowing words and a genuine smile broke across her features. She thought solemnly for a moment and continued. "It would be wonderful if he spent more time away from work and at home. I mean, I’ve seen firsthand what alcohol did to my father. The boys need Barry. I’m more than happy to talk to him with you. You seem to care a great deal for him." She studied her companion’s face for a reaction.

"Great." Helen sipped from her bottle. "We don’t want to risk upsetting and alienating him so we need to take this slowly. He’s a nice person, a hell of a lawyer, and a friend. If Sam was here, that would help Barry a lot. He misses her, I can tell. He has a picture of you all in his office that he keeps on his desk."

Helen wasn’t prepared for the reaction the mention of Sam evoked in Allison. The blonde gulped and her green eyes widened at the comment. No one talked about her stepsister anymore. "I’m sorry." Helen rushed to cover up her apparent blunder. "I didn’t mean to pry."

"Oh, no, no." Allison removed her legs from the ottoman and positioned her feet on the floor. "It’s just that hardly anyone discusses her anymore." Her breathing shallowed at the painful verbal reminder of her former lover. Her happy times with Sam just seemed like a dream, like they had never really been together.

"She just ran out one day. That’s so strange," mused Helen.

"Look—" Allison, her face suddenly shadowy, turned to Helen. "I don’t want to talk about it, ok?" She clutched the Perrier and took a long gulp, suffering the dull aches of desire and emptiness at the thought of Sam.

"Of course." Helen stood, slightly wounded, and smoothed the creases in her shirt. "I should be going."

"No, no, I’m sorry." Allison stood as well and sat the dusky lawyer back on the couch. "Please don’t mind me. I’m just…" She shook her head slowly and rubbed her temples. "Stay for a bit longer. What with Allen, work at the Addict, and school, I don’t socialize much."

"You love Allen a lot." Helen’s words were not shaped in question, but in mere commentary and observation.

"I do." Allison looked up, and her features momentarily lit up. "He’s a wonderful boy. I just helped him build a model car. Well, enough about me. Let’s talk about you." Allison leaned against the back of the couch, relaxing slightly. Her curiosity got the better of her. She was dying to know if Helen was sleeping with Barry. "Are you dating anyone?"

"Nah. I had a serious romance back in LA but nothing big since then. I’m enjoying the single bachelorette life." Helen winked at her companion, finishing off her water. "You’re unattached yourself, aren’t you?"

"Yep. Yep. Destined to be an old maid." A very forced laugh came out of the blonde’s mouth.

Helen swatted her friend’s shoulder playfully. "Don’t be so glum. You’re only twenty years old, right?" Her face brightened as an idea appeared. "We should go to a club one night and get us some fine playmates."

The blonde’s responding smile and nod seemed very constrained to Helen. A muscle clenched along her jaw. The older woman silently studied her friend closely then finally whispered. "Someone broke your heart and you’re not over it. Whoever he was, he doesn’t know what he’s missing." She detected a flicker of sadness and loneliness in the green eyes and waited for the younger woman to speak.

Allison stared vacantly at the bottle of water in her hand. "No… it was the other way around. I broke her heart." She set down the water and sighed. Shit. Did I say that out loud? Allison’s green eyes widened and she bit her lip. Don’t cry.

"Oh, Allison." Helen interlocked her fingers with Allison’s and took the younger woman in her arms. Her hands, beautiful, long-fingered, and strong, rubbed Allison’s back gently as the blonde relaxed. "I’m sorry," she murmured. The college student drew in a deep breath, willing herself not to cry.

The blonde felt just right in the lawyer’s arms and she tightened her grasp. Helen rubbed her cheek against Allison’s hair, enjoying the silky smooth texture. Heat radiated through the thin fabric of the younger woman’s sweater. "Mmm," Allison whispered, letting Helen hold her.

They broke apart as the distinct screech of Susan’s new Jaguar made its way up the hill to the mansion. Helen smoothed her pageboy cut as Allison shifted away towards the edge of the couch. "Thanks. Do you mind not mentioning the… uhh… the, you know, the thing to anybody? It just slipped out."

"No problem." Helen’s smile was a brilliant white against her face, causing Allison’s knees to go weak. No one had held her so tenderly in such a long time. "Call the office soon, ok? We’ll get together for lunch and discuss the details about Barry." The older woman slid across the couch gently and squeezed Allison’s arm then took the smaller hand in hers. "I’m a good listener, Allison. If you ever need to talk, give me a holler."

"Thanks again." Allison cast her eyes downward shyly. "I guess you should be going before momma gets here and makes a scene." Allison’s words of caution came too late. Susan waddled into the living room and glared at them disdainfully.

From the minute she’d seen that fancy BMW in the driveway, the redhead knew trouble was in the air. Her dull gray eyes came to life as they spotlighted upon a colored sitting on her couch, shedding all over it. The nerve! If that wasn’t enough, the Heather woman, that awful ex-boss of hers, was calmly sitting, drinking a bottle of water. Her water. She marched to the end table and glared at Allison, who was no better than the lot of them. She had no respect for her momma’s feelings!

"Hello, everyone." Susan glared pointedly at the female lawyer, venom dripping from her voice. "Hello, Heather. My, you’ve gained weight. No wonder you haven’t a man of your own. The last time I checked, mine wasn’t available for loan." Her eyes gazed intently at Helen, studying her from top to bottom with contempt. Where the hell is Beauregard? Probably showering after a morning roll in the hay with those two!

Helen smirked, her dislike for Susan shining through. Her even, white teeth sparkled evilly at the redhead and contempt was clear in her dark brown eyes. "Oh, really? You might want to check again."

Susan gasped with as much indignity she could muster. Her trollop of a daughter was smothering a giggle or two and she glared daggers at Allison Alexandra. Honestly! "Heidi, if you don’t mind, I would like time with my husband and my daughter, so… surely, you’ll excuse yourself. Go back to your little job. After all, some of us do have to work." She raised her eyebrow in command.

The lawyer was ready to rip off the woman’s head. But that was too good for her. "Indeed. Some of us have to work to support your habits. Barry won’t last much longer…I hope you appreciate what he does for you." Helen sighed and counted to ten mentally, then stood. This wasn’t the way to resolve her colleague’s home situation. "Susan," she began in a conciliatory tone. "I’m sorry. I think that…"

She was interrupted by a shrilling voice and a snubbed nose. "Talk to the hand!" Susan held up her perfectly groomed hand, the red nails pointing up menacingly. She looked away from Helen pointedly and glared straight at her daughter. "Allison Alexandra, why ever did you invite…this voodoo colored woman into our home?" Susan continued as if Helen didn’t exist. "Now, I understand you want to major in deaf education and help those poor handicapped children, but inviting those people into our home is going too far. Have you ever heard of separating our personal and professional lives? Ellen can get her handouts elsewhere. She has a lesson to learn from this. Separating the work place from the home. Staying out of her work partner’s home would be a good start."

Allison and Helen gasped at the name-calling. The blonde rushed to her new friend’s defense. "She’s helping us and she is helping Barry. I’d appreciate it if you weren’t so rude to her. She is not voodoo or colored or whatever! And damn it, for once and for all, her name is Helen Vierow!"

Helen glared at the jowly woman. "Barry was drunk. I was doing you a favor by bringing Barry home." Disgust seeped her tone of voice as the redhead prepared for battle.

"Oh really. Drunk, you say? Ha! You probably spiked his drink at work and took advantage of my poor Beauregard!" Tears sprang into Susan’s gray eyes. "How could you do that, Hannah? How could you? Beauregard has a family! You’re just a typical savage going around raping innocent people and children! Get out of here before I have you arrested!" Susan, trembling with fear, pointed a snarly finger in Helen’s face.

Allison stifled a sob as she watched the tall woman march out of the room with nary a glance backward. Her mother was driving everyone out of her life. The blonde was helpless. Susan held the ultimate trump card - Allen.

*****

"What? Come again?" Susan couldn’t believe what Jacqueline was saying on the other end of the phone. Receiving confirmation and further details of her younger sister’s statements, Susan replaced the phone numbly. Oh my God.

The redhead walked into the living room, seemingly in a trance. She sat on the sofa, her gray eyes wide in unblinking shock. Slowly, her hands began to tremble.

Beauregard sat in the plush armchair adjoining the couch, gazing happily at his wife. That phone call had interrupted her endless prattling about Allison inviting a colored woman into the house the day before, and how Hannah so obviously had spiked her darling Beauregard’s drink. "Cat got your tongue, Susan?" smirked Barry.

The redhead finally looked up and nodded slowly. "Beauregard… that was Jacqueline on the telephone device. She has most wonderful news." A smile slowly crept onto Susan’s face, and her jowls disappeared for a nanosecond.

"So?" Barry grunted. "You guys gonna on another cruise and wastin’ more of my money?"

"Mama and Daddy are coming next weekend from Arkansas. They’re willing to see me, meet the family." A tear made its way down Susan’s cheek. "Maybe they do love me after all."

"So what?" Barry yawned. "Who cares? Your dad’s a dick, anyway. Gimme the remote. Game’s on."

Barry’s words didn’t penetrate Susan’s stream of thought. She hadn’t seen her parents in 21 years. At every turn, they had refused to even lay eyes upon her or her children. But now, they were amenable to a meeting. She couldn’t let this opportunity slip away! Suddenly, the list of all she had to do overwhelmed her. Buy new furniture, new cars, have the house cleaned thoroughly, nice clothes for everyone, a handsome rich date for Allison Alexandra. "We need to get shaking, Beauregard! We’ve not a moment to waste!" shrilled the redhead as she sprinted to the phone book. She ruffled through the pages for the town’s finest establishments. She wasn’t going to let her parents slip through her fingers this time.

"Hey, momma. Barry." Allison called as she stepped through the front door. The blonde removed her lightweight coat and hung it in the hall closet. Seconds later, Beau and Allen ran into the house, howling.

"Allen hit me!" Beau screamed.

"Beau!" Allison picked up her half-brother and tried to placate him. "Shh." The green-eyed girl knew that Allen had done nothing to Beau. Nevertheless, she had to stave off a fight. She glanced warily at her mother, ready for the usual biting words of her incompetence.

But Susan stood dazed in the kitchen, clutching the phone book to her chest. "Momma?" Allison ventured, approaching her mother.

Beau struggled to get out of his sister’s arms, and finally, Allison relented and let go. Something was wrong with her mother. "Momma?" She glanced at Barry, but he was busy bawling out Beau and Allen.

Susan turned to her daughter, tears freely running down her cheeks. "Oh, Allison!" The redhead moaned and drew the blonde in for an embrace.

"It’s ok." Allison held her mother gingerly. Maybe Barry’s been fired. Or been promoted. Who knows?

Susan pulled back after a moment, her eyes sparkling with life. "Oh, Allison…" She sniffled. "I was just on the telephone with Jacqueline. Mama and Daddy Hollingsworth want to see us all next weekend."

The blonde half-smiled, her mother’s joy contagious. "Oh, wow. That’s great." She wiped a tear from Susan’s makeup-smeared face. "What’s happened?" The smile on Allison’s face grew as she imagined meeting her grandparents for the first time. Ideally, they’d be benevolent and forgiving, and everything would be all right. Don’t get your hopes up.

"Allison!" Susan’s commanding voice snapped her daughter back to attention. "Whatever is that horrible hairstyle? And you definitely need to lose weight before they come! Get busting!" The redhead pointed to the ceiling reproachfully. "Go exercise on the bicycle! Oh!" She wailed in despair. "Whatever will mama and daddy think of you?"

Allison bit her lip. She’d learned long ago how to deal with her mother and not get into nasty fights. "Of course. I’ll do that right away."

*****

Helen turned off the car engine and checked her reflection in the rearview mirror. She frowned, catching a speck of smudged lipstick on her cheek. Rummaging in her purse, she extracted a tissue and wiped the blemish away. All set. Hair’s good, makeup’s good. Allison better be working now. She sprayed some cinnamon flavored mist into her mouth. She peeled her lips back and surveyed each white tooth in her compact mirror. Satisfied, Helen stepped out of the sedan and strode towards the Addict, smoothing out the wrinkles of her cream-colored business suit.

The lawyer’s brown eyes lit up when she saw Allison sweeping industriously behind the Addict’s counter. The younger woman was absolutely darling in her jeans, white T-shirt, and the blue apron that was part of her uniform. Soft strawberry blonde hair fell in layers around her shoulders, swaying from side to side as she worked with concentration. Helen’s heart skipped a beat as she approached the counter, although she kept telling herself she was doing this just for Barry’s sake.

Allison looked up to find Helen watching her. A huge smile spread across her fair-skinned features. "Hi, Helen!"

The lawyer returned the friendly greeting. "Hey there." Her rich feminine voice reverberated towards the green-eyed woman.

"I’m sorry I haven’t called yet. I’ve just been so busy and… I wasn’t sure after what momma pulled if you’d ever want anything to do with us again." The blonde frowned disapprovingly. "Can I interest you in a cup of coffee?"

Helen grinned and rested her elbows on the counter, so that she was directly eye-to-eye with Allison. "Of course. I’ll have whatever you recommend."

"Uhh… hmm." Allison’s green eyes brightened. "I know just the thing." She bustled behind the counter, grinding the coffee beans. "I’m brewing the coffee now," she explained to the older woman. "I’m glad you came in. So slow today. But there was this really cute baby this morning that was raising a ruckus. He just wouldn’t shut up—"

Helen chuckled as the blonde enthusiastically recounted the morning’s incidents. Her zeal and animated gestures were contagious.

"Oh!" Allison stopped abruptly in the middle of the tale. "Haha. I need to shut up too, don’t I? People always say I talk too much. I don’t think I do, really. But, once, I was giving a speech and the next thing I knew, thirty minutes had passed. My teacher was… I do talk too much, don’t I?" The blonde detected the bemused expression on her companion’s face. "I’m sorry. Sometimes I don’t realize—"

"No need to apologize." Helen interrupted with a grin, glad that the younger woman didn’t seem embarrassed by her rather personal revelation a couple days ago. "You can talk all you like. Want to take a break while I sip my coffee? Let me buy you something. My treat."

"Thanks." Allison met Helen’s eyes briefly and smiled. "Here’s your coffee. Hope you enjoy it." The younger woman handed the lawyer a full paper cup and pulled out her own cup from behind the counter. "Don’t worry about paying for this. Employee benefits." She winked. "Come on, let’s sit by the window. The view’s great."

Helen sipped her purchase and made yummy sounds as she walked beside Allison. "Very good. I’m impressed."

"So," the lawyer ventured once she and Allison were seated by the window. "I just wanted to stop by and let you know Barry was great yesterday. He showed up on time, sober."

"Yeah." Allison’s eyes shone. "He and I took Allen to a baseball game last night. That kept him busy. I think he’d do so much better if he wasn’t around my mother." The blonde’s voice became somber and she stared out the window at passing vehicles. "I wish Barry would divorce her and just…" She ground her lips together wryly. She really needed to watch what she told Helen, a near stranger.

Helen leaned in at the surprising revelation. "Why? I know Susan isn’t the easiest woman to live with, but she’s your mother. And there’s Beau…their child."

Allison turned to face the older woman and shrugged half-heartedly. She was glad to have someone to talk to again, even if it was just for a few minutes. "I care for Barry. He’s a good man and my mother doesn’t appreciate him. They don’t have a real marriage. I doubt Barry would ever divorce her because of Beau. He’s a man of obligation." She shook her head and smiled grimly. "No one’s happy in that whole mess."

"Including you." Helen studied the young woman intently and touched her wrist slightly, allowing her hand to linger.

Allison swallowed at the gentle touch. "That’s life," she murmured, gazing at the table. "I’m fine, really." After a while, the younger woman broke the contact and reached for her coffee. "I ought to get back. Look—" The blonde glanced uncertainly at Helen. "We should still talk to Barry, though."

"Absolutely." Helen nodded in complete agreement. "Want to get together Saturday and discuss the game plan?" Her question was spoken casually, but the apprehensive underlying tone hinted at a second reason for the request.

"Saturday?" Allison smiled eagerly at the invitation. "That’d be great. Can you hold on a sec?" The blonde excused herself for a few minutes to wait on a newly arrived customer.

Helen watched the young woman attentively, but as prudently as possible. No need to seem overly excited. It seemed as if Allison was receptive to the lawyer’s slight advances. And God, how Helen wouldn’t mind a date or more with the green-eyed beauty. There was just something about her, setting her apart from everyone else. She had an innately captivating presence.

Allison hummed cheerfully as she brewed the coffee. She and Helen had only made small talk in the past. But the lawyer would make a good, new friend. She was intelligent, with diverse interests, and a good conversationalist. And she hadn’t blinked one judgmental eye on Monday about her confession regarding Sam.

"Sorry about that." Allison joined her visitor after the customer left.

"You should be." Helen winked teasingly. "No problem. Ok, Saturday. We might as well make an evening out of it. What do you say?"

"It could work." Allison grinned back at the older woman.

"It could." Helen smiled and handed Allison her business card and flipped the side over to reveal her brisk handwriting. "My home address, phone, e-mail. Just come on over around six o’ clock and we’ll see what we’re in the mood for. Unless you have something you’d rather do."

"No, that’s fine." The blonde took the card, the usual friendly smile on her face. "I’ll see you then, I guess. Thanks for coming in. It was great talking with you. Hey, you want to come to Allen’s ball game with me? I’m leaving in about thirty minutes."

The dusky lawyer shook her head regretfully. "Sorry, I’ve already made plans." Helen flashed her even, white grin. "Have a good week. Call if you need anything."

*****

Allen continuously kept his eyes peeled for his mother and stepfather as he sat on the bench. Third inning, and they weren’t there. They had promised! The boy angrily pounded his baseball glove against the metal fence. He watched a teammate strike out and then the inning was over. Allen groaned, slid the glove onto his left hand, and trotted to first base. He threw half-heartedly with the second baseman during warm ups.

How could they? Barry had only made two games all season. Susan caught a few, but only to score social points with the elite parents. Allison attended each and every one of his games, and today’s league championship against the rival school for gifted children was no exception. Allen glanced into the stands yet again, hoping to spot at least his mother or his stepfather. His eyes fell upon the usual sight of his sister, her brilliant hair shining under the afternoon sun. She laughed and chatted with some of the parents around her. His first season of baseball was shaping up to be great. He played first base, only made two errors in all the games combined, and was the top hitter on the team. But his parents didn’t care. They hadn’t even been impressed by the model truck he built.

Allen sighed and shifted his attention to the opposing team’s batter, but his heart wasn’t in the game anymore. Suddenly, he didn’t care whether or not his team won.

An half-hour later, the game was tied at 5 runs apiece in the bottom of the last inning. Richie, a good friend of Allen’s, grounded to second, and Allen stepped to the plate. Two outs, man on first. Allen dug his cleats into the dirt, his feet gripping the earth firmly. The boy’s helmet was loose on his small head as he squinted into the sun and anticipated the ball. The pitcher went into his wind-up. Coach had given Allen the go-ahead, and the green-eyed youth was ready to smash the ball in smithereens if necessary.

His batting average had improved tremendously during the last two weeks of games, but what no one knew was that the jump was thanks to the boy’s mother. Every time Allen swung the bat, he just imagined that the ball was Susan, holding a smirking Beau. Sometimes in practice, Allen tried to pretend that the ball was Barry, cool and distant, but he didn’t hit as well those times.

And as usual, Susan hadn’t shown up for today’s game. Allen growled as he brought the bat around and connected solidly with the ball. The sphere sailed high, but into foul territory. He dug in for the next pitch, which was a called ball, a bit high above the shoulders.

The fans in the stands roared as the runner on first stole second. The catcher leaped from his position, scuffling to get past Allen for a late and unsuccessful throw to the shortstop. The blond youth fell to the ground, landing on his back with a clatter. He bounced up on his feet, wiping dirt from his uniform. But the shove had reminded him of something else, something that never strayed far from his mind.

On the next pitch, Allen blasted a game-winning homerun and circled the bases, grinning and whooping, pumping his fist in the air. He had just discovered an even better hitting trick. He should have imagined Sam, not Susan, as the ball. At least his mother and Barry hadn’t left him.

*****

After the presentation of the trophies, Allison ran up to her brother and hugged him proudly. "Way to go!" She kept her arm around his waist, crowing about his stellar performance all the way to the car.

"Where were they?" Allen asked his sister as he slumped in the front seat of the Pinto and slammed the passenger side door.

"I don’t know. Who cares?" She laughed as she turned the engine on. "You played great! Let’s stop and get some ice cream."

"Nah." The boy buckled his seatbelt and stared absentmindedly out the window. "Let’s just go and watch some TV."

"Sweetie?" Allison shifted the car into park and leaned into her brother, touching his shoulder. "What’s wrong?"

He turned and met her eyes, the jade-green color identical to his own. "It would have been nice for momma and dad—I mean, Barry, to see the game."

"Ohh…" Allison shook her head and kept her hand on her younger companion’s shoulder as she mentally berated her mother and stepfather. The towhead was seven years old, and already he sensed the growing distance among the family members. Sometimes Allison wished the boy wasn’t smart or gifted. He needed an innocent and carefree childhood. "But I come to all your games, Allen."

"Al…" He looked at her and smiled sadly. "You’re great, don’t get me wrong. But I want momma to see me hit a homerun once in a while, to ask me questions about the models I’m building. You’re my sister, and it’s not the same."

Allison puckered her lips and withdrew her hand from the boy’s shoulder. Almost angrily, she put the Pinto into drive and maneuvered it out of the parking lot. She wanted to tell him. I’m your mother, not Susan! ME! I changed your diapers. When you cried at night, I took care of you, rocked you back to sleep. I love you.

But he wouldn’t understand. He didn’t need his life turned upside down. Allison accepted the fact soon after Sam’s departure that Allen was her brother, not her son. But that small part of her wished she could just tell him… Every day of the last seven years had been so painful. Allen was such a beautiful baby, a sweet toddler, and now a wonderful boy with so much potential. She watched him grow up from the sidelines, unable to call him her son except in her most private thoughts. Even though he had been conceived as a result of rape, Allen was a child of love. Allison’s heart tore every time he called Susan momma instead of her. She wanted him to know her as his mother and watch him grow up.

"Come on, Al!" The youth exclaimed. "Don’t be sad please. Are you upset?"

Allison sighed. "You didn’t upset me. I just…"

"I wish people wouldn’t leave," Allen continued. "Our real father died, then Sam, and momma and Barry might as well be gone, the way they act. I wish Daddy hadn’t died. He was a great guy. You’re lucky that you met him."

Allison winced. Allen had no idea what Phillip Albrecht had really been like. The boy didn’t know the man died several years before his "son" was conceived. She and Susan told the boy nothing but lies about the deadbeat drunk. There was no point in making Allen feel even more worthless. "Yeah, he was." The blonde’s voice became choked as she pulled into the Cannizarro driveway. "He… he would have loved you very much."

Allen grinned wistfully. "Yeah. Hey, did I tell you that I put his picture on my desk? I found a new frame for it."

"Really?" Allison turned the motor off. "Which picture?"

"When you were just a baby, Al. The one of him holding you." Allen unbuckled his seat belt and followed his sister eagerly into the house. Most of the time, his mother and his sister weren’t up to discussing Phillip, so he needed to take advantage of this rare opportunity. "Did he ever hold me like that? He looked so happy in that photo."

Allison unlocked her the door and stepped inside. Allen, taking care to remove his dusty cleats before entering, turned the lights on and prodded for an answer. The blonde looked into the youth’s hopeful green eyes but couldn’t bring herself to lie once again. "I… I…" She stammered.

Allen’s face fell at the response. "Oh."

"Oh, Allen. I don’t remember, but I’m sure he did." Allison rushed to comfort the disturbed boy. "He always talked about wanting to go to your ball games, seeing you hit homeruns and scoring baskets." She walked hastily into the kitchen and retrieved a pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator. "Want some? It’s pink, your favorite."

Allen grinned happily as he fished two glasses from the cabinet and dropped a few cubes of ice into each. "Sure. He’s taking care of us from above, isn’t he? Even if momma and Barry don’t show up, I know my real father is cheering for me in heaven. He’ll take care of you too, Al."

The blonde poured the lemonade with a shaky hand. She should have gotten used to the questions about Phillip before now, but she’d never been good at lying. Allen had built Phillip up to almost godlike status. "That’s right." She managed a smile for the youth, hiding her nervousness behind a sip of liquid. He was sprouting like a weed. In a few years, he’d be taller than she was. Allison only hoped that he’d be happy. She had sacrificed her lover for her son, and was determined that the loss didn’t go to waste.

"It’s spooky how much Beau looks like Lucas other than the eye color," Allen mused. "Do you figure that’s one reason why Barry doesn’t like Beau much? And ‘cause he looks a lot like Sammy?"

"Uhh…" Allison cringed. She hated when Allen got into one of his contemplative moods. "Maybe. I don’t think he ever got over Lucas. A parent never gets over the loss of a child." She chugged the rest of her lemonade and plastered a smile across her face. "Come on, let’s do something fun! How about you get showered and we’ll go to the arcade?"

******

Helen opened the refrigerator door and surveyed the contents of the icebox. She’d no idea what her guest liked to drink so she’d bought every kind of drink imaginable, even that disgusting Yoo-hoo. Jugs of water lined one of the shelves of the door. A bottle of wine sat chilling in an ice bucket. Helen chose to ignore the fact that she was an officer of the court and Allison was underage.

She strode into the living room hurriedly and reached over to a lamp that stood at the corner. The light was dimmed just a notch, nothing overly obvious. Helen pressed play on the remote. A slow song came to life, lyrics softly wafting through the room. The doorbell sounded and Helen quickly checked herself out in a hallway mirror. She hoped that she and Allison could be more than friends. Something inside her had just clicked with the younger woman.

"Hey!" Helen opened the door less than a minute after Allison knocked. "Come on in." She waved the blonde in. "Ta-da! My castle."

"Very nice." Allison whistled appreciatively. Helen’s apartment certainly matched her car, both in terms of style, wealth and looks. The lawyer’s furniture, ranging from her dining room table, the cabinetry in the kitchen, to her end table, was expensive maple, and matched perfectly. Colorful curtains adorned the windows and the carpet was a lush blue. But the woman herself wore casual clothes, form-fitting chinos and a tight black shirt, and a pair of low cut boots. Allison was dressed down as well, going for jeans and a nice cashmere sweater.

"Ruff!" A wriggling beagle puppy darted around the corner and made a beeline for Helen, his tongue panting eagerly.

"Hey." The dog automatically brought a smile to Helen’s features. She kneeled on the carpet, tousling her pet’s fur. "Allison, this is my new puppy, Cat."

Allison laughed, joining Helen on the floor. "Cat?"

The lawyer’s dark brown eyes twinkled. "Yep, meet Cat. You want to hear the long version or the short version?"

Allison crossed her legs and continued mussing the canine’s short, bristly fur. "The long one. I love stories."

"I’ve always been a cat person," Helen began. "Never had dogs, never cared to own one. Cats were for me. They could take care of themselves, while being just playful and affectionate enough. In my opinion, dogs were dumbly blind and loyal, too eager to please." Observing the small glower on Allison’s face, Helen laughed, touching the blonde’s knee gently. "Don’t worry. I can see you’re a dog person. Well, I’ve been living in this place ever since I moved from LA. I brought my cat Ruffles with me. Now, Ruffles was even worse than I was. She hissed her head off at any dog that crossed our path. Anyway, she died last year of old age and I knew there wouldn’t be another cat to replace her."

"Mmmmuff!" The beagle rubbed its wet, black nose into Helen’s cheek, then dashed down the hallway, no doubt chasing invisible critters.

"About two months ago, the secretary, Mary Jane, found a box of puppies on the side of the highway. They were only a few weeks old. They’d been abandoned by their owner."

"Oh, no." Allison whispered. "That’s so cruel."

Helen shook her head in agreement. "How could anyone to that to innocent animals? So, there were five puppies altogether. Four got picked up quickly, but one, the runt of the litter was left and no one wanted him." The older woman smiled at the recollection. "He was so cute, so small. His ribs were sticking out and he was starved! It’s more like he adopted me, actually. He moseyed right up to me and started whining. So, I thought, why not give it a try? Cat’s been here ever since."

"That’s a great ending." Allison’s green eyes twinkled. "That’s why you named him Cat, so technically, you wouldn’t have a dog?"

"Exactly." Helen affirmed the blonde’s statement with a grin. "Lawyers always find those loopholes." The dusky woman stood, helping Allison up. "Can I get you a drink? I’m usually a better host. My guests tend to sit on the couch."

Allison smiled comfortably. Helen was an easy woman to get along with. "Really? I always thought guests were supposed to sit on the floor. Sure, what do you have to drink?"

"How about cola?" suggested Helen.

"Great." The blonde followed the lawyer into the kitchen and helped prepare the drinks. "Uhh… I hate to bring this up, but I’m famished." She smiled sheepishly. "I hope you haven’t eaten already. I’ll treat you to dinner. Or we can order out."

Helen chuckled. "Sure. Chinese okay?"

While the women waited for the deliveryman to arrive, Helen gave Allison the grand tour of her apartment. The attorney’s home was immense. It included two spacious, airy bedrooms with gorgeous views of downtown, one-and-a-half luxuriant bathrooms with an oversized marble hot tub in one, and a grand living room. Helen shrugged in self-explanation as they headed into the living room. "When you’re single, who else do you spend your money on?"

"Very true. So, who are those people?" The blonde, duly impressed by the excursion, pointed to a group of framed photographs on a table. "Your family? You must miss then, LA being so far and all."

"No, actually." Helen grinned. "Most of my family’s here. I went to college and law school in California, stayed there for a while to work. But I missed the East Coast, the change of the seasons, the forests, lakes… I’m sure you feel the same about Arkansas."

"I don’t miss Arkansas. Too hot, too far out in the sticks. Mosquitoes everywhere. Nothing to do there, either. But I know what you mean. This area is home to me. I don’t know if I could ever leave." Allison selected a photo of a black woman in a flowing wedding gown. Next to the bride stood a beaming, petite Japanese man. "Your parents?" She raised her eyebrows in question. At Helen’s nod, Allison continued. "Must have been a lovely wedding." She replaced the photo wistfully and scanned the others. "Brothers and sisters?"

"Nah. Only child. Those are just friends, cousins." Helen swallowed as she alit upon Percy’s photo. She’d meant to remove it months ago. "This one’s Percy." She indicated a gold frame, with a smiling woman on a swing. "I’d forgotten it was there."

"Why?" Allison gazed curiously at the photo then into Helen’s dark eyes, again noting the fine detail of her elegantly curved eyelashes.

"Ah well… actually, she’s the main reason I came back home. We broke up and I needed a fresh start…" Helen laughed at Allison’s wide green eyes and slightly gaping mouth.

The blonde recovered quickly, however. Why had she automatically assumed Helen was straight? "Sorry." She chuckled nervously. So that’s why Helen wasn’t fazed about my confession last Monday. "Uhh… everything ok now, though?" Allison’s eyes fell upon a magazine rack in the corner, boasting a proliferation of lesbian magazines. How did I miss that? A twinge of envy entered Allison. Must be nice for Helen, being so open about her sexuality.

"Yeah." Helen smiled grimly. "We’re friends now."

The doorbell beeped and Allison perked immediately. "Food’s here!" she exclaimed, practically running to the door. She took the food and paid the deliveryman.

Helen grinned at her friend’s enthusiasm as Allison dug into the Chinese. The young woman was fun to watch. Allison was one who enjoyed food, she could tell. Helen dove into her own meal before Allison had the opportunity to gobble it up as well. They talked while they ate.

"You’re just like Cat," Helen noted bemusedly. The puppy sat panting under the table, begging for food.

"I love to eat," Allison said, making no excuses. "I could eat and eat forever. We have nothing but healthy stuff at home, so I suppose that’s one reason why I… mmm! Those cashew nuts are great!" The blonde licked her lips, her grin irresistibly devastating.

Helen’s mouth curved into an unconscious smile. "We should have a pig-out fest sometime. Candy, chips, pizza, cookies…watch movies all night. Been a long time since I had one of those. Law school, probably." She chewed on a forkful of noodles, wondering from where the hell that invitation had appeared.

Allison wondered if Helen was hitting on her. After all, concerned about Barry or no, the lawyer had taken the time and trouble to visit Allison at work instead of just calling. Invited Allison to her home. Oh, please! The blonde could hardly stifle a laugh. What would Helen see in me? She’s rich, successful, older. Probably views me as a mentee, so to speak. But in any case, Helen was a lot of fun, a respite the blonde desperately needed from her life.

"That sounds great!" Allison answered, a small smile playing around the corners of her lips. She needed a lesbian friend.

"Good." Helen didn’t realize she’d been holding her breath until she exhaled. The brown-eyed woman worked on another forkful of Chinese, becoming all too aware of the presence near her. She’d never had a thing for younger women, so why was she starting now? Enough. You worry too much.

"Next weekend?" Allison pressed on.

"Sure. Same time, same place?" Helen reached for a fortune cookie.

"Perfect." Allison’s green eyes gleamed, but then her face fell. "Oh, I can’t."

"Why not?" The dusky lawyer looked up from the half-broken cookie, concealing her disappointment.

"My grandparents from Arkansas are in town, visiting my aunt. I’ve never met them before and my mom hasn’t seen them in 21 years or so. Our weekend’s pretty much booked with them."

"No problem. We can do it weekend after next." Helen unraveled the slip of paper, and read it quickly as she crunched on the fortune cookie. "Listen to this: NEW ADVENTURES AND NEW PEOPLE AWAIT YOU. How original!" She chuckled.

They conversed animatedly for hours, moving from the dining table to the living room sofa. Cat interrupted them occasionally, but for the most part, they were left alone. "It’s a miracle," Helen explained teasingly as the hour neared midnight. "Beepers, pagers, cell phone, nothing went off. I guess there’s no need for lawyers tonight."

The blonde laughed. "I should be going. Had a great time tonight. I’ll e-mail you about the pig-out fest, ok?"

"Sure." Helen met the younger woman’s captivating green eyes for a moment. Lightly, she fingered a loose tendril of hair on Allison’s cheek. "Wait… wait a minute. We’re forgetting something."

"Oh, goodness!" Anxiety crossed Allison’s features. "We didn’t even talk about Barry."

"Right you are. Can’t help him if we forget about him. Can you stay for a bit longer?"

"Of course. Well, I’m not sure where to start. I was thinking we’d ask him to meet us for lunch. Public place, he can’t make a scene. Neither can we for that matter. I’ll do most of the talking if you like." Allison twirled a strand of strawberry blond hair behind her ear.

The duo discussed their approach and reached a satisfactory solution. They would meet with Barry on Tuesday.

*****

Allison pulled up a dark red wooden chair and slid into it, smiling at Helen. The lawyer’s suggestion of the Meat Market had been a strange idea. The food was rumored to be very good and twice as expensive as typical eatery fare. The menu boasted all imaginable types of meat, cooked in infinite ways. The waiters were very buff and well-built. Black and white pictures of well-proportioned and shapely men adorned the walls.

"Hi Helen. Good to see you again. What are you having?" She inclined her head to indicate the drink in the exotic woman’s hand.

Helen chuckled, glad to see Allison again, although it’d only been a few days. "This is a fruit tea. Called the Virgin, I believe. Would you like to try a sip?" Helen held out the glass to the blonde, who only giggled.

"This is an interesting place." Allison studied one picture in particular, of a heavily chiseled and scantily clad young man. Have you been here before?" She reached for the drink and took a tentative sip. "Ooh. This is good. I’ll order one for myself."

"Actually, I have, once. The food is absolutely heavenly. I recommend everything on the menu."

A tall, dark-haired waiter arrived to take the blonde’s order. "Hey Angel. What’ll you have to drink?"

"I’ll have what she’s having and uhh… an iced tea for our other guest. He’ll be here shortly." She grinned at the waiter and opened the menu. Her jaw scraped the floor as her wide green eyes took in the selection. "Goodness. This menu is…" She skimmed through it. "Twenty-six pages! However shall I decide? I hate dilemmas like this." She sighed heavily while thumbing through the menu.

"I’ll be glad to come back here with you again and again and again until we’ve sampled everything on the menu. I’m getting the peach chicken, if that’s any help." Helen smiled at her friend. The waiter quietly placed three glasses on the table and slipped away.

Barry arrived with a crash and a bang. He stumbled into his chair roughly, the dark purple circles under his eyes and the sweat stains on his white shirt giving away his long night. "Hey y’all. Is this for me?" he pointed to the light brown liquid. Both ladies nodded in affirmation.

"Good to see you, Barry." Allison rubbed her stepfather’s arm.

"Good to see you too. How are things going?" He swigged a long gulp from the tea glass and licked his lips across his mustache. "Hmm. This is great!"

The waiter arrived to take their orders. "What shall you be having?" He looked at Allison who returned his look sheepishly.

"I have no idea. Uhh… what do you recommend?" She glanced at Helen.

Helen smirked knowingly. "She’ll have a lemon chicken dish. I’ll have the peach chicken dish." She looked at her colleague.

Barry sighed. "Wow. How many kinds of steak could you all have? Umm. Let me think. O-kay, I’ll have your biggest steak. Medium rare." He shook his head. "Make that rare. Yeah." He slammed the menu shut and gave it to the waiter. Returning his attention to his lunch mates, he asked: "What y’all want?"

Helen raised an eyebrow as a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Straight to the point, aren’t you, Barry." It was a statement, not a question, as the big man nodded. "Well, Allison?" The older woman prompted the blonde.

Allison turned to face her stepfather and took his hand in hers. "Barry. Uhh… I don’t know how to say this but…we think you have problems. Issues that you’re avoiding and not really resolving. And that has a negative impact on everyone concerned. Your children and family. Your friends and work. There are many unhappy people and things that you do are affecting them. Beau and Allen look at you as a role model and as someone whom they admire. Helen and I care about you and we just want to help. We both love you. Uhh… we’d hate to see you drain your life away."

Barry shook his head in confusion. "What are you talking about?" He raised his eyebrows in question, a mannerism identical to his daughter. Allison looked into his blue eyes, briefly wishing that the person before her was her long gone lover.

Allison barged on before the past bogged her down. "Allen is miserable because you’re never at his games. You’re never at home to spend time with him and Beau. Beau is a brat and needs a positive role model in his life. They need a father. They need you. No offense but my mother isn’t exactly the greatest parent in the world and they count on you to make a difference in their lives."

"I support them. I work my ass off! What more do they need?" Barry growled and glared at Helen. The dark-skinned lawyer remained silent and let her companion continue.

"Barry, money isn’t everything. What about parent-teacher conferences, sports, plays, playing with them in the pool or shooting hoops in the driveway? Helping Beau build castles in the sandbox? Telling Susan to back off on certain things. Reading stories to them. Do you even know Beau’s favorite color?" Allison placed her elbows on the table, leaned in, and searched her stepfather’s azure eyes.

"Well, I know I work a lot and I’m never home but it’s Susan’s fault. She spends all of my money and I have to work all the time to pay for her shit. Besides, I can’t stand that woman and her nagging. Especially with her parents coming in this weekend. New furniture, new clothes." Barry mimicked his wife’s whiny voice and nodded resolutely, knowing he was right. "They’ll be fine. They’re strong boys."

"Barry." Helen intervened. "You can’t always blame other people for your problems. Maybe you should be more firm with Susan. Tell her that she has to curtail her spending. You can take away her credit cards and give her an allowance. Regardless of what she does, you still need to be there for the boys. Besides, that isn’t our primary concern. It’s…your drinking." Helen reached across the table and took Barry’s other hand into hers.

The male lawyer groaned and rolled his eyes. His lips twisted into a cynical smile. "You’ve gotta be joking! Drinking problem? Where did that idea come from?" He shook his head incredulously and laughed.

"When you do choose to come to work you’re usually drunk. You smell of alcohol all the time. You’ve been ticketed a couple of times driving under the influence. Your office is always stocked with plenty of liquor and it runs out pretty fast," Helen volunteered.

Allison added her two cents. "Allen complains that you and momma are always fighting and arguing. That you’re always drunk and that you drink a lot. Not just beer but hard liquor. I know that’s true because I see it for myself when I’m home. And momma complains that your tab at the liquor store is higher than her tab at the beauty spa. That’s a lot of money." She squeezed her stepfather’s hand.

Barry jerked his hands out of the ladies’ reach. "Look, what the hell are you doing, nosing in my life? It’s my business! Not yours." His expression was hard and resentful.

"We’re not judging you. We just want you to go to counseling, get some help," the blonde pleaded.

"I don’t have a problem. It’s you two who have a problem! I drink a little bit, so what? It’s my right." He threw his cloth napkin on the table. "I’m leaving. Good-bye, ladies." He stalked away, the bewildered look in his blue eyes a painful reminder of how Allison had hurt Sam. He walked and carried himself just like her. The guilt and pain over what she did to Sam had become a perpetual dull ache.

Allison buried her face in her hands. "That didn’t go well."

Helen sighed. "No, it didn’t." She reached for Allison’s shoulder and let her hand linger a moment too long. "We can’t make him do anything. He has to want help. Maybe our talk will start something and he’ll realize he needs to get his priorities in order. He won’t be mad long. I think if Susan wasn’t in his life, that would make a huge difference."

The blonde mumbled something. Looking up, she smiled. "Yeah. I agree with you wholeheartedly. I love him. He’s a great guy. Just his luck to marry my momma." She chuckled ruefully. Three colossal steaming platters landed on the table and Allison perked up. "Ooh! Food’s here. Hmmm!"

Helen laughed at her young friend’s enthusiasm. "I’ll say. Want to try a bite?" She pushed her plate towards the blonde who immediately cut in and took a big piece.

"This is good. Oh! This peach chicken is delicious and the rice is…" Allison made small sounds of pleasure as forkfuls of food made its way to her mouth.

*****

Barry reached into the brand-new mailbox and retrieved the mail. He flipped through the envelopes, one by one, grousing at the amazing amount of junk mail. He paused at the trashcan just inside the garage and threw away the advertisements and store magazines. He threw his fishing journal away. Might as well. He had no time to hunt or fish anymore. He groaned at the Oprah magazine and the pile of magazines Susan insisted on subscribing to keep Allison Alexandra up to date. He dumped them on the kitchen counter on the way in and sat down at the kitchen’s new green trimmed wood table. Here was the fun part. Bills. He opened his checkbook, poised to pay the debts while he was still in a bad mood.

First came the credit card reports. Barry’s eyes bugged out at the amount. The $25,000 limit had been maxed out in one month. His hand slid slowly up the table and numbly he opened the next credit card bill. Maxed out as well. Trembling, he opened the next three, all with the same results. His wife had somehow managed to spend a good portion of his entire year’s salary in one month. He growled. This time, Susan had gone too far. Usually the bills were around ten thousand a month but this month she’d spent over ten times the average! Her parents were coming into town for the weekend but that was no excuse to practically buy a new fucking house! Enough! He couldn’t take it anymore.

Susan skipped into the house, whistling a happy tune. "Beauie! Beauregard!" She held up two shopping bags. "I just purchased a lovely paperweight for your office! Oh, and I ran into this wallpaper guy at the mall and he offered a ten percent discount! I’m having him do the entire house in the spring. Shouldn’t we take advantage of the discount, honey? I’m ravished! What do you want for dinner? I can order out or we can all go out to eat. Or you can fix yourself something or wait for Allison Alexandra to come home and cook for you."

Barry grinned and hugged his wife. "You’re home. That’s good, because that means you aren’t at the mall."

The redhead recoiled in surprise. Her Beauregard hadn’t seemed fazed at the bills scattered across the table. Maybe he’d understood about her parents being in town. A smile curled her lips open and she pecked her husband’s cheek.

Barry leant against the counter. "Susan, I want a divorce. You can have anything but the house. Keep Beau too, if you like."

The woman gasped as she slammed the refrigerator door shut, her quest for sparkling bottled water forgotten. "Beauregard! Surely you don’t mean this. What about our love for each other?"

"No. You love my money. I’m sick of it. There’s a difference between appreciating what we have and taking advantage of it," he spat.

"No, Beauie! What about our fairy-tale wedding? Our true love? I love you. You can’t leave me. I’ll change. I swear! Pleaseeee…." She whined.

"It’s been over three years. You won’t work. You won’t limit or curtail your spending. I pay for some of Allison’s college education. I pay for Allen’s expensive private school. I pay for Beau’s dumb pre-school shit. I support this family and you don’t thank me. You don’t do anything. You don’t even cook or clean! All you do is sit on your fat ass and watch Oprah! Talk shows, soap operas. That is, when you ain’t at the fucking mall spending all of my goddamn money!" Red flushed Barry’s face and neck as he gripped the kitchen counter.

"Beauregard, I didn’t realize! I’ll get a job. I’ll limit my spending to what I earn! For the luxuries, I mean! Your money only for the family and… I’m sorry!" She threw her arms around her husband and clutched to him for dear life. Crocodile tears streamed down her face. "What about our son? He needs a father."

"Don’t be a hypocrite. He needs a mother too, and you aren’t around for him, the last time I checked." He pushed her away and walked into their bedroom. Susan followed him, wailing and crying.

"I’ll change! I promise!" Susan took out all but one of her credit cards and threw them into the small trash can in the bedroom. "Look what I did! Beauie! Give me one more chance! Pleasssseee..." She flopped back on the bed and slapped herself hard on the cheek several times. "Bad girl! Bad girl, Susie! No wonder nobody loves you!" She slapped herself once more and rolled over on her side, gripping a pillow to her trembling chest.

Barry stood next to the bed, gaping at his wife’s antics. Were they for real? He swallowed and thought the situation through. One more chance wouldn’t hurt and she would have to get a job. Despite everything, there was a part of him that did love and care for her. He wrapped a muscular arm around her and held her close, cooing into her ear. "Susie, don’t cry. Shh… I’ll give you another chance. I love you."

Susan sniffled. "Do you, Beauregard. Do you?"

Barry sat up and looked at his wife, breaking contact. "Yeah, I do. Look. You get a job, cut down on your spending. I’ll work less and we can spend more time together. Maybe we can go to that marriage retreat shtick. How about that? It takes two to make this marriage work. I want to meet you halfway. I will meet you halfway."

Susan’s ears perked. "Of course, Beauregard. I do want to work on this. I promise! Tomorrow, first thing I’ll do is start looking for a job. Oh Beauie. Hold me." She turned to face her husband. "I miss you." She snuggled into his powerful arms and bulky chest.

She heard his voice reverberate through his chest. "One more thing. Let off Allison a little bit. She’s beautiful the way she is and if she doesn’t feel like dating, don’t push her."

Susan nodded angrily. Her husband had a thing for Allison! Well, no matter. She’d just work harder on having the hussy married and out of the house. "Sure. I just love her and want her to have the best things in life. I admit I can be a little harsh at times. You do understand don’t you, pooie?"

Barry chuckled. "Yes, honey-lilac. We all want the best for our children. Even after what Sam did, I still love her. I just wish she was willing to see us again, to make amends. No matter what, she’s still my daughter. I do wish I could figure out why she just went off like that." His brow furrowed in thought.

The redhead scowled into his chest. The girl had tried to murder her and their unborn child! Beauregard must never find out what caused Samantha’s outburst that day. "Oh Beauie-sweetie. Give Samantha some time. As she matures she’ll realize that it was just a burst of anger. It’s been two years. Sooner or later she’ll come back. I wish I could help." She hugged him and they remained on the bed, holding each other as a husband and a wife should.

*****

Dr. William Marshall Hollingsworth III hugged his svelte blonde daughter and held her at arm’s length. "Mama Hollingsworth, our Jacqueline has grown prettier since the last time we saw her. Oh Jackie, you’re gorgeous, a knock-out." He embraced her again and wandered into the large home in search for his two strapping grandsons and son-in-law. They could go for a round or two of golf later. His wife took her turn in hugging their daughter then ran into the house in pursuit of her husband.

The Cannizarro family remained completely forgotten as they stood in the foyer. Susan studied her father for the first time in almost a quarter century. He was still handsome, regal, and distinguished. His mane of gray hair was thick and luxuriant, his face evenly tanned and showed no signs of age. Her mother was the same thin, birdlike woman.

Jackie, still blond and perky as ever, paused her parents in mid-step. "Mother. Father. Susanna’s here." She gestured to the Cannizarro family.

The elder Hollingsworths stiffened at mention of their black sheep daughter. "Susanna."

Susan stepped up, smiling awkwardly. She cradled Beau in her trembling arms. This was her one shot to make amends for the mistake of running off so many years ago. "Mother. Father. This is Beauregard, my husband. He’s a lawyer and this is our son, Beau." She held up her son for inspection. Her parents nodded perfunctorily, not bothering to shake Barry’s hand. Allison saw the hurt on her mother’s face and determined to improve the situation.

"Hi! I’m Allison, your granddaughter. This is Allen." She pushed Allen forward. The boy smiled reluctantly. "It’s so great to meet you! I always wondered what my grandparents were like and I can’t wait to get to know you two better. Right, Allen?"

The Hollingsworths looked down their noses at Phillip Albrecht’s offspring, the short young woman and the blond boy. The boy was disgusting. A fleck of dirt was smudged on his cheek and he chewing his lower lip in a surly and hostile manner. How uncivilized! And the girl was grinning like an ape. No surprise there. What were they expecting from Phillip and Susanna’s union?

Susan’s mother spoke up. "Well, Susanna. Nice to meet your family. I see you’ve put on a lot of weight. Quite unflattering, if you ask me." She was interrupted by howls and shouts as two teenaged boys came tumbling down the stairs in a ball of arms and legs, wrestling.

William dropped to the floor and started wrestling with his grandsons. His wife only smiled. "Will’s a lion with those boys! William! Be careful, your heart!" She looked to her other daughter. "Jacqueline, I’m famished. Let’s go have a drink and talk about those boys of yours. William and I were thinking of buying them that racing car they were talking about last Christmas. Off with us!"

Susan gripped her husband’s hand. Barry soothed his wife and glared at his in-laws. Callous, cold-hearted assholes! He stalked after them, Susan in tow.

He tapped his father-in-law on the shoulder. The doctor paused in mid-play, grinning. Barry bent down and stared the older man in the eye. "You fucking bastard! What’s wrong with you people? So what if your daughter made a mistake? Ever heard of the word forgiveness? It’s been over 20 years. Susan’s a wonderful woman! Intelligent, funny, sweet. Your own grandchildren!" He pointed to the blondes at the end of the line. "They’re wonderful! Allen builds models and plays a hell of a game. Allison’s in college. They’ve done well for themselves," he scoffed.

William stood as his wife chirped. "Let’s call security to escort those savages out! I told you we shouldn’t have met with them!"

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Mother, father. Let’s not do that. It was just a little outburst. Beauregard is just like you, father, with a bit of a temper."

Her father sighed and nodded. "Very well, as you wish, Jacqueline." He turned to his redheaded daughter and hugged her briefly. "Susanna, you have a beautiful son there." He took Beau in his arms and pinched his chubby cheeks. "Handsome little lad." He completely ignored Susan’s other children.

Allen watched the interaction with envy. "Why don’t grandma and grandpa like me, Al?"

Allison smiled sadly and brought Allen closer, her arm around his bony shoulders. "They didn’t like our daddy. Don’t worry, though. I love you bunches." She kissed his cheek before he could squirm away.

"No kissing! Ew!" The towhead rubbed his cheeks and wandered into the other room with everyone else, leaving Allison alone in the foyer.

*****

Barry whistled, swiveling around in his chair. He stood happily, tapping his shoes on the hardwood floor of his office. The dark-haired man hummed gaily, shuffling to the mammoth windows. A sprawling panoramic view of the city greeted him from below. The gloomy, overcast morning and the steady drizzle of rain didn’t affect the lawyer’s cheerful mood. Things were back on track with Susie, and better than ever. He just hoped that the past week was an indicator of what was to come. He really should’ve laid down the law earlier, but hey, no use dwelling on what’s past.

Susan had found a respectable part-time job as a receptionist at a construction firm. Her spending had decreased immediately, and ever since the tenuous reconciliation with her parents, the redhead’s bounce had an extra spring to it. She had sent a bouquet of roses to the firm yesterday, bought with her own money, and surprised him with a strip tease show right there in the office.

Barry stuck his hands in his pockets and stared dreamily out the window. Life was rough, but in the end, the roughness would give way to smoothness. He thought about Beau. His younger son, except for his gray eyes, was almost a carbon copy of Lucas, only brawnier and more stubborn. Lucas had been a playful and mischievous boy, while Beau tended to be more of a bully. Barry resolved to buy the boy a football after work today. No time like the present to start throwing the pigskin around. With Beau’s size even at such a young age, he’d be a football star, just like his dad in high school.

The phone rang shrilly, yanking the barrel-chested man out of his reverie. Sighing, he strode to the ringing instrument, not quite ready for the return to reality. "Hello, Beauregard Cannizarro here." The other end was silent for a moment, and Barry wondered who the caller could be. Not many people knew how to reach him directly at work.

"Hello?" Barry spoke into the receiver again.

"Barry?" Julia’s voice was a teary and quavery whisper. "Oh, Barry. I need you."

"Julia?" Barry stepped back in amazement. "Is that you?" His relationship with his former sister-in-law for the past couple years had been shaky, to say the least.

"Bar- oh Barry." The woman’s words ran together as her sobbing increased.

"Oh my God!" Barry cried. He threw on his jacket. "Is Sam all right?"

Julia’s crying only increased. "I’ll be right there," Barry promised. "Right there." He slammed the receiver on his desk and raced out of his office. The heavy wood door wobbled in his wake. "Cancel all my appointments today!" he yelled to the secretary. Oh please God, let my daughter be all right.

Minutes later, the distraught Barry barged through the Julians’ front door, not bothering to knock or ring the doorbell. Julia lay on the couch, curled in the fetal position. Her silky black hair, peppered with gray, hung limply around her face.

"Julia!" Barry called and ran to the slumped figure immediately. He swooped her in his arms and she held onto him for dear life. Her weeping multiplied as the lawyer attempted to soothe her.

"Julia!" Barry finally held the upset woman at arm’s length, holding her chin up. His panicked blue eyes met her tormented dark eyes. "Tell me what’s happened to Sam."

"Sam?" Julia sniffled and wiped her tear-stained face. "No… not Sam. It’s Julio. He’s dead."

"Wha…" Barry gulped, processing the information. Relief flooded his body, but pain replaced it the next second. Julio Julian, his high-school buddy and good chum, was dead. "Oh, Jul." Barry reverted to the name he’d called the dark-haired woman in high school. "Jul, sweetie… Julio’s dead? Oh my God. Come here." He clasped the woman to his chest and stroked her hair. "How? He was the poster man for perfect health."

"I know!" Julia’s chin quivered. "He was fixing a leak under the sink in the bathroom this morning. I noticed he’d been in there… oh God. He was in there so awfully long. I finally checked up on him… I call—" Her hands shook as she recalled the traumatic event. "Doctor said it was a heart attack. Just happened." She finished her comments evenly and neutrally. "The same thing happened to his dad, remember?" Her voice shook. "We had so many dreams, so many plans. Julio… Julio!"

"Shh. Shh. I’m here, ok? You go rest. I’ll take care of all the arrangements." Barry stroked the newly widowed woman’s cheek comfortingly. He shook his head slowly, amazed at the abrupt loss of such a fine man. Life was precious. He wasn’t going to waste another second of his time on Earth.

Julia sat comatose on the couch as Barry made the arrangements. He stayed with Julia and her teenage children for the rest of the evening, comforting them, reminiscing with them. They cried, talked wistfully as they went through photo albums and Julio’s yearbooks. Death had snatched the man away in his prime.

*****

Allison was still reeling from the shock of Julio’s recent passing as she dressed for bed. The funeral had been that day, and while she hadn’t attended, Barry and Susan had arrived home haggard and tired. The whole situation was a sad, surprising mess. On the few occasions she’d met Julia’s husband, he’d been the life of the party. Healthy and handsome, well built and intelligent, Julio and his wife made a great pair. And then one morning, the man who insisted on vitamins, water, and exercise and called red meat the plague, had simply kneeled over, his heart stopped.

The blonde gripped the knob of her closet door. Life was a gamble, throwing its players curves every which way. Allison nodded resolutely. She needed to look to the future, to stop living in the past. She opened her closet door and got on her knees. The bedroom light was off and only the flickering light bulb that hung from the closet ceiling penetrated the blackness. She shoved aside her shoes and various odds and ends on the floor and reached apprehensively for the locked metal box in the back. She hadn’t opened it once since Sam’s disappearance. They had been so young; they still were. Just as well they had broken up when they did. They probably wouldn’t have lasted but a few more years.

The blonde tucked her hair behind her ears as she felt the cool metallic surface. Slowly, she moved the combination lock to various numbers until the bolt clicked and released. She let out a long, audible breath. Allison opened the lid, already knowing what was inside. She picked up the alien ring and slid it onto her finger. She leaned against one of the closet walls, the box in her lap. Allison’s mind continued its tortured thinking and she clenched her jaw to kill the sob in her throat.

She unfolded the poem, the paper slightly yellowed with age and frayed at the edges from overuse, and reread the flowing blue handwriting. She had memorized the words even before the family got back from the beach, with the giddiness and excitement of first love, but Sam’s words never failed to bring tears to her eyes. Sam had written the poem for her but the words reflected her own feelings for the blue-eyed woman so well.

Sniffling, Allison replaced the poem and brought out Sam’s last gifts to her, the two small teddy bears, one light-colored, the other with dark fur. The grins on the bears’ faces remained, innocent and happy. She would never forget a single detail of Sam’s face and her lips and body tingled in remembrance of her stepsister’s burning touch. She recalled the ecstasy of being held against Sam’s strong body, and the blonde’s words returned to haunt her.

It’s been two years, Sam. I need to move on. She needed to face the undeniable and dreadful facts. Helen’s warm, understanding mocha eyes pushed through Allison’s consciousness.

She didn’t know where Sam was now. She could have dropped out of college. Or even be married with kids, or even be dead. Barry had said something about New York but Allison hadn’t asked for details. The less she knew, the better.

Julia would know, though. She was the only family member Sam communicated with regularly. And Sam’s aunt steadfastly kept her promise to her niece not to divulge any information exchanged between the two. As a result, no one else knew where Sam lived.

The older woman confronted Allison a few days after Sam disappeared in the raging snowstorm.

"Sam doesn’t know I’m here," the older woman said, trapping the young blonde outside the Addict after a grueling shift. "She insisted that I not talk to you. But…" Julia shook her head incredulously. "I had to see for myself."

Allison shrugged coolly, but was unable to meet the woman’s penetrating gaze. "There’s nothing to it. We had fun for a while but we’re over now. Especially after she almost caused momma to miscarry. I’ve lost a lot of respect for her. If you see Sam or talk to her, you can tell her good riddance. And if she cares, the baby’s fine. Three-pound boy, surprisingly healthy considering what Sam did."

Julia bit her lip, continuing to corner Allison. Something wasn’t right here. "She loves you. She’s miserable without you, and of course she’s very sorry about putting the baby in danger. That was inexcusable, but…" Julia paused then went on. "I had to practically drag her out of bed and back to her classes. "

"Uh-uh. Do I look like I care?" The blonde finally met Julia’s eyes and tried to push her way past the taller woman. Julia’s strong hands found Allison’s waist, holding the younger girl firmly in place. "Excuse me!" Allison yelled, unsuccessfully prying the older woman’s fingers off. "I need to get home!"

"You two were a match made in heaven!" Julia persisted. "Every time you guys were together, I could tell—"

"Cut the crap!" Allison snarled, hate flickering in her green eyes.

Julia’s eyes widened and she let go of Allison. "Sam was right." The older woman spoke as if she couldn’t believe the sudden turn of events herself. "It really is over between you two."

"Yeah. It really is over." Allison sighed and closed the box. Her tears were gone, as if evaporated by an onrushing wind. She walked to the nightstand next to her bed. The green-eyed woman gripped the phone in her white knuckles and trembled, dialing Helen’s number from memory. She got into bed and rested against the headboard, willing herself to think about anything but Sam. A talk with the beautiful and sympathetic Helen might be just what she needed. A smile graced her fair-skinned features as the lawyer responded with a groggy hello.