Aidan and Katie Ch. 05

Ruthie grinned and raised an eyebrow. I slapped her arm and she laughed.

"No, not like that." I grinned. "When I woke up, she was snuggled up to me and it has been some time for me and I kinda liked it." I blushed and Ruthie grinned. "Since we got up she hasn't been more than five feet from me...well, until we rode over here in separate vehicles and now, but you know what I mean. What's going to happen for now is that she's welcome to stay in my spare bedroom until she gets her feet back under her. Beyond that..."

Ruthie smiled and then wrapped me up in a big bear hug. She startled me and I laughed nervously. "You're a good person." Ruthie said and kissed me on the cheek. "I hope it works out for you two pieces of fluff. I can tell you're a fluff that likes fluffs, but if you ever want to see what the other side is like, give me a call." We exchanged cell phone numbers, not because I wanted to walk on the wild side, but because I thought she was a very nice person and I wanted to be friends.

We went to find the others and found them in the kitchen. Jeannie saw me and hurried over and grabbed my hand. Dad looked up and shook his head. Aidan and Dave were taking the table out. Elle had a chair and so did Dad. I looked at Jeannie, "We need to grab a chair each, OK?" Jeannie looked sadly at our hands and then nodded. We grabbed the chairs and carried them out to the truck. When we set the chairs down, Jeannie grabbed my hand again.

She leaned toward me and said, "We need to go in the bedroom so I can get my jewelry, OK? I can't believe that I forgot it last night. Please don't leave me." The look in her eyes melted my heart; it was so vulnerable and scared.

"Don't worry, I won't." I assured her, squeezing her hand. "Let's go find Ruthie first."

We walked back into the apartment. "Ruthie? We need to get into the bedroom to get Jeannie's jewelry."

Ruthie said, "Hang on." She walked into the bedroom. There were loud voices and then Karli stormed out of the bedroom and then out of the front door. Ruthie came out shaking her head and laughing and she waved us in.

Jeannie got her jewelry box and looked through it. She looked up and me and there were tears in her eyes. "My engagement ring and my grandmother's wedding set are gone. Everything else is here, though."

I turned to look at Ruthie and she was already headed out of the bedroom at a dead run. She was back in about ten minutes. She walked up to the dresser and got in the third drawer and reached in the back. She rooted around and then stood up. She walked over to Jeannie and asked her to open her hand. Ruthie dropped all of the rings into Jeannie's hand. There were tears streaming down Jeannie's cheeks and Jeannie flung herself at Ruthie, hugging the burly woman around the neck.

"Watch it, fluff," Ruthie laughed, "I might get the wrong idea."

Jeannie kissed her on the cheek, "Thank you, Ruthie, I can never repay you enough for getting my grandmother's rings back."

"Well, fluff," Ruthie grinned, "A home cooked meal with you and your fluff will do quite nicely."

Jeannie blushed and looked at me, questioningly.

"I think that could be arranged." I said. "Do you like beef stroganoff?"

Jeannie looked at me, "Mom's, uhhh, Maddie's stroganoff?" I nodded. She looked at Ruthie, "You'll love it. Please come."

Ruthie smiled, "OK. Could I bring a guest?"

Jeannie looked at me, I nodded and she said, "As long as it isn't, Karli, sure."

Ruthie smiled, "No, it's not Karli, after today, I'm not sure I'll ever see her again. It's another piece of fluff who is just a friend, but I would like her to be more. I really like her and maybe, if she sees that I have friends that aren't like me, she'll see me as more than a friend." By the time Ruthie finished, she looked very sad. Jeannie and I both hugged her. "I could get used to this." Then she was smiling again.

Jeannie led me into the back bedroom and there were stacks and stacks of boxes. "This is all of my stuff." She said, "We need to get this all out. The guys need to get the bed and dressers."

We grabbed boxes and told the guys about the bed. Jeannie, Ruthie and I moved the boxes out to Aidan's truck and the Lincoln while they broke down the bed and moved the dressers. In about another hour we had all of the stuff loaded up.

Jeannie grabbed my hand and walked up to Ruthie. "I cannot thank you enough for saving me last night and everything you've done today." Jeannie hugged Ruthie again and Ruthie grinned and took advantage of the situation by groping Jeannie's fine, fine ass. Jeannie just giggled. "You're so bad."

"Hey, you said you owed me," Ruthie laughed, "I figured a little grope would be a start on payback." Ruthie kissed Jeannie on top of her head. "You be careful, and you guys be good to one another." Ruthie walked back into the apartment and closed the door. We walked back to the trucks.

Jeannie said, "OK, Aidan, what now?"

Aidan scratched his head. "Let's just get all of this stuff to the storage unit. I'd rather be done with it today."

"OK," Jeannie said. "Could I ride with Katie this time?"

Aidan smiled, "Sure, I've got room."

Dad said, "No, I'd like the girls to ride with me."

Jeannie turned and looked at me with huge eyes. I squeezed her hand to reassure her. I had a feeling I knew what this was about and I thought we should face it together. I had never come out to my parents and I thought I was about to do just that. We got in Dad's car. Jeannie didn't want to let go, so we got in the back seat.

We had been in the car for a couple of minutes before Dad spoke. "So, Katie..." He just paused.

"Yeah, Dad?" I wasn't going to hide anything, but I wasn't volunteering.

"Uhh, are you, uhh, are you..." He stopped again and I had to reconsider the not volunteering.

"Dad, are you trying to ask if I'm gay?" I bailed him out.

He just nodded, looking back at me in the mirror.

"Yes, I am." I said, "I haven't been hiding it, but I don't announce it either."

"Then why didn't you tell your Mom and me?" He asked.

"Because you never asked," I said, "If you had asked me that question five or ten years ago I would've told you, then."

"Oh," he said. "Soooo, what's up with you two?"

I started to answer and Jeannie squeezed my hand. "Last night, I needed help and was looking for Aidan, Mr. Cunningham. I..."

Dad interrupted, "Jeannie, I told you years ago, either Mike or Dad. If you're not comfortable with Dad, then call me Mike. But from what I'm seeing here, you might as well keep calling me Dad." His eyes twinkled as he spoke.

Jeannie smiled, "OK, Dad. Anyway, I needed help and was looking for Aidan. The last that I knew, he was living at Katie's, so I went there. I said some not very nice things; Katie slapped me and told me to get out. I collapsed; I was a little hysterical and asked Katie for help. As sweet as she is, she listened and she helped me. She's truly an angel. I don't know what's going on between us, but I feel something for her, something that I've never felt before. Even though I loved Aidan with all my heart, this is different. This feels comfortable, right somehow."

I was looking at her dumbfounded as she looked down and blushed. Then she turned her head and smiled shyly at me. I smiled back and squeezed her hand. She blushed again and just held my gaze.

"Geez, you two," we heard from the front seat, "get a room."

"Daaaadddd!" We screeched simultaneously.

He just laughed. "Now Katie, believe me, I'm happy for you, you've been alone for far too long."

Jeannie took that as her clue to snuggle up to me. My phone buzzed, it was Aidan; he was following us. "What are you thinking, snuggling up together with Dad in the front seat?"

I giggled, "Gee, I don't know, he just told us to get a room."

"Whaaaattt?!?!" he shouted. I was laughing as I was hanging up on him.

Dad slowed down and let Aidan pass as we approached the storage unit. Aidan pulled to the side, pressed the code and dad drove in, then Aidan repeated the action for Dave and Elle and then drove in himself. About an hour later we were headed home. Dad asked if we wanted to go home with him for dinner. I looked at Jeannie and she shook her head no.

"Dad, I think we're beat," I said, "I think we want to go home." Jeannie squeezed my hand when I said home.

Dad said, hesitantly, "Could we go to our house..." and he paused.

"You want me to tell Mom tonight, don't you?" I asked.

He nodded, his eyes pleading.

I sighed, not truly prepared for that conversation. "OK, take us to your house."

I thought Jeannie was going to break my hand; the pressure from her squeezing me was so great. I looked at her, "Relax, it'll be OK."

"But, your mom hates me." She whispered; the expression on her face, miserable.

I grinned at her, "Hate might be a little strong. But, if we," I squeezed her hand, "are going anywhere, you're going to have to face her sooner or later. We might as well get it out of the way now."

Jeannie nodded, although it looked as though she were going to cry.

Dad said, "Jeannie, it's OK. You know Maddie's bark is worse than her bite. Well, a little anyway."

I said, "Nice, Dad thanks."

He just laughed.

Jeannie rolled her eyes at me and said, "It's always been obvious to me where Aidan gets it."

I shook my head, "Yeah, no shit."

Dad was still laughing as we pulled into the driveway. He climbed out and walked to the front door. I opened the door and started to get out but Jeannie didn't move. She held tight to my hand and sat stock still.

I settled back in and said, "Jeannie?"

She had tears tumbling down her cheeks. "I-I-I know y-y-you s-s-said it would b-b-be O-O-OK, b-b-but..." she took a deep breath to calm herself, "...but I'm scared. Your mom is gonna yell at me. She hates me and she'll throw me out and I don't want to come between you and your mom." She sobbed. "I don't want to l-lose you. If you gotta choose, you're gonna choose your mom." She threw her arms around my neck. "I know we just kinda found each other yesterday, but I feel something, I don't know what it is, but I know you feel it too. Please don't make me do this, not yet."

I looked out at dad; he was standing on the front porch with his hands held palm up, like 'What the hell?' I put one forefinger up, asking him to wait.

"Jeannie, listen to me." I said softly in her ear. "If you want to try and make a go of this, whatever it is, we're going to have to learn to trust each other. I'm asking you to trust me on this. I know my mom can be scary, but if she thinks that we're serious, she'll welcome you back. Maybe not with open arms right away, but enough that you'll be welcome. Please trust me."

She sobbed again, but nodded. I kissed her on her cheek and liked the way her soft skin felt under my lips. She pulled back and smiled shyly.

"I'll be good; I'll try, but..." She stopped.

I looked at her, "But what?"

"I want a real kiss." She grinned.

"Now?" I said incredulously.

She nodded and grinned again.

"You want our first kiss to be in front of my dad?" I was just blown away.

"Trust me," She mocked me and the shy, sexy smile was back. The thought flickered through the back of my head that shy; sexy smile was probably going to mean real trouble for me. I melted every time I saw it.

She let go of my hand and wrapped her arms around me. Her soft lips met mine and I was lost. All I could feel or think about was how good her small, tight, body felt in my arms and how soft and utterly kissable her lips were. I didn't even realize that I had closed my eyes until Jeannie pulled away. I opened my eyes and looked into her smiling brown eyes.

"I'm ready, let's go." She whispered before kissing me on the cheek. She slid out of the other side of the car and I was stunned and just sat there.

She came around and grabbed my hand. "Come on Katie."

I looked at her and then my dad. He looked at stunned as I was. I slid out of the car and Jeannie snuggled up to my side.

I looked back at her and she said, "I can face anything with you at my side."

I felt like I was in a movie. I was completely off balance. Her kiss had touched me somewhere deep inside and I was totally disoriented. I had never felt like this before. Not with Julie, not with Aidan, not with Elle. Whatever small flicker I had been feeling had ignited into an inferno with the kiss.

We got to the door and dad looked at me quizzically, and I just looked at him helplessly. We both looked at Jeannie and the shy smile was back. Dad opened the door and Jeannie squeezed my hand harder and wrapped her other hand around my arm. She was obviously bracing herself for what she anticipated as a coming storm.

We walked through the door and Mom walked out, looking at the towel that she was using to wipe off her hands. "Mike, what took so long? I heard the car..." She looked up, saw Jeannie and she stopped walking and talking. I saw her eyes flick to my right hand and arm where Jeannie was holding on as though her life depended on it. I also saw recognition dawn in her eyes.

She walked up to me and kissed me on the cheek. "Hi, sweetie; how are you?"

"I'm good, Mom." I said.

She turned and looked at Dad, "Mike, why don't you go start the grill. I think we're gonna have steak. I want to talk to the girls."

Dad looked at me sympathetically before retreating to the back yard.

"Why don't we sit down," Mom said indicating the couch. She sat opposite us in the love seat.

Jeannie and I sat and waited. I knew that Mom had something to say, so we were going to wait her out. She looked between us several times, her eyes flickering to our hands.

She finally spoke. "OK, what's going on you two?"

I took a deep breath. "Mom, I'm gay."

She rolled her eyes. "Katherine, do you really think I don't know that? I'm insulted that you thought I could be that big of an idiot."

Eloquence had escaped me. "Huh? Mom, how..."

"Well, duh!" she smiled, "Katie, you haven't brought a man home since your senior prom. Plus, I've never seen anybody go into a depression like you did after their roommate moved out."

"So why didn't you ask?" I said.

"I figured if it was important to you that you would tell me." She said.

"Oh," was all I had.

She smiled and repeated her earlier question, "OK, what's going on you two?"

Jeannie squeezed my hand and I took a deep breath. "Long story short, Karli got really weird on Jeannie last night. Jeannie ran and came to my place looking for Aidan."

Mom interrupted me, "Did Karli give you that shiner, Jeannie?"

I blushed, "No, I did."

"Katherine Rose Cunningham! What were you thinking?!? We taught you better than that!" Mom was furious. She softened and turned to Jeannie, "Jeannie are you OK?"

Jeannie said. "Don't yell at her, it was my fault and I deserved it." Then she started crying.

Mom was startled, "Does it hurt that badly, sweetie?"

Jeannie shook her head, but didn't say anything.

Mom came over and knelt in front of Jeannie. She touched Jeannie's cheek and asked, "Then what is it, baby?"

Jeannie started sobbing and threw herself into me. I said softly, "Jeannie, what's wrong?"

"After what I did," she mumbled, "you guys are being too nice to me."

I looked at Mom and she shrugged and so did I. She reached over and pulled on Jeannie's shoulders.

"Jeannie, come here. Come to Mom." Mom said softly.

Jeannie sat up and looked at Mom, who had gone back to the love seat and was sitting there with open arms. She looked back at me and I nodded. Jeannie slipped into Mom's arms and started crying again.

"I'm so sorry," Jeannie sobbed, "I hurt Aidan, I hurt Dad and I hurt you. All of you guys accepted me without question and I let that lunatic bitch break us up." She repeated, "I'm so sorry."

Mom glanced at me and then leveled her gaze at Jeannie. "I only have one question, Jeannie." I saw Jeannie stiffen. "Are you going to hurt us again?"

Jeannie sat up. "What do you mean?"

Mom smiled thinly at her. "I see you holding Katie's hand, I see the way you look at her and I remember seeing you look first at Aidan and then Karli like that. Who's next? Are you going to break Katie's heart and hurt us all again? Aidan, Dad and Katie dropped everything to help you today and I assume that they did it without question. I want to know your intentions."

Jeannie sat for a moment before she pulled herself together. She sat up straight and said firmly and plainly, "I don't know what is going on with Katie. I don't know what's going to happen. I do know that I feel something with and for Katie that I have never felt in my life before. I do know that she's an angel. I thought I loved Aidan with all my heart and maybe I did at the time, but this feels different somehow, special. I can't say that we're going to be together forever or even through next week, but I will not do anything to hurt her. I can't control if we're not yet in love or don't ever fall in love, but I can say that I won't let anybody get between us. I promise you that."

Jeannie got up and sat down next to me, grabbing my hand. "I'll do all of that if Katie wants to try with us. But if she doesn't, I'll be out of her life and yours as soon as I can find somewhere to live."

They both looked at me. I simply leaned over and kissed Jeannie, her soft lips tripping my trigger again. I moaned lightly and quickly sat back up before I embarrassed all three of us.

Mom smiled and got up, "That's good enough for me. Jeannie, Katie, you guys be happy. I'll have Dad throw the steaks on the grill. I'm gonna make a salad."

Jeannie looked at me and just blinked. "That's it? I thought she was gonna chew my ass! What just happened?"

"Obviously, Mom saw and heard everything she needed to hear." I smiled and brought her hand to my lips and kissed it gently. "Everything will be OK, baby."

I took her other hand in mine and swiveled to face her. "I want to take this slowly. A lot has happened in the last..." I turned to look at the clock, "...twelve hours. I want us to know each other again, to like each other again to be comfortable with each other again." I paused as tears started to trickle down her cheeks. "I want to be able to talk without you feeling guilty and crying. I want to be together when it's right for us, not when our bodies are just crying out in lust. I want what Aidan and Elle and Mom and Dad have. I want happily ever after. The tingling I feel in the pit of my stomach when I look at you makes me believe that we can have that. I don't want to ruin the possibility by rushing anything. I am not impulsive, I am not impetuous and so what I am feeling for you is strange for me. I haven't had a lot of relationships and that's because I get scared and don't let a lot of people get close. I have a few times and have had my heart stomped on virtually every time. You know I'm close to my parents, I'm close to Aidan and I'm getting close to Elle. I feel like I want to be close to you, but you'll need to be patient with me."

I snickered a little. "Being here, with you, like this is about the second most impulsive thing I have ever done in my life." I took her hand and placed it over my heart. "You can feel what it's doing to me, my heart is racing. I like this feeling but it scares me."

Jeannie touched my face with her other hand and smiled. "What was the most impulsive thing you've ever done?"

"When we're sure about us, before we make love, I'll tell you." I said softly, "Because you'll need to know, but not just yet. I don't want you to know unless we're committed to each other. I'm not embarrassed about it, but it's not something that I want as public knowledge. If we're not together I'd always worry about it."