Welcome, Sister

Soon enough, it was time to pick up Stephanie. As she drove, Jennifer thought ahead to the plans she and Stephanie had made. They were going to the Esplanade tomorrow, which meant getting up “wicked fuckin early” as her brother would say, and lighting out for the Hatch Shell. Richie had helped her pack everything in the truck, and now it was just a question of getting up early in the morning. Jennifer pulled over just before entering the airport, and called Stephanie. “Where are you girl?” she asked when Steph answered.

“Just cleared the terminal, and on my way outside. Where are you?” The excitement in her voice was palpable.

“Just outside the airport,” Jennifer answered. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”

Stephanie laughed. “Wonderful. Don’t hurry, but HURRY!” The two shared a laugh and signed off.

Jennifer meandered around the airport’s access road until she came to the Delta terminal. She saw a woman with dark curly hair and cute t-shirt standing on the sidewalk holding a duffel bag and an unseasonably warm black leather jacket. Gunning the engine, Jennifer pulled up to the curb. Stephanie, for nobody else would smile that big at all the noise the bike was making, waved to her.

“Jennifer!” Stephanie exclaimed, as the tall woman got off the bike and took off her helmet. It was like a movie scene; the hair spilling out and blowing behind her like a dream. Stephanie looked Jennifer up and down. “Damn girl, you ARE tall!” She turned the other woman around to see the back of her fringed black leather jacket and smiled. “Nice jacket!”

“I like it,” Jennifer said, hugging her newly-met-in-person friend. “It is so great to finally meet you in person! How was your flight?”

The two women made idle chitchat while they secured Stephanie’s duffel in one oversized saddlebag and drew out a second helmet from the other. It still smelled faintly of Richie’s shampoo. “You wanna ride up the coast, or through the city?”

“Either way,” Stephanie said. “I just wanna ride!”

Jennifer laughed as she wound up her hair again and pulled her helmet over it. “I hear you. Let’s go through the city,” she suggested. “The coast is pretty, but will be clogged with traffic. There are some pretty empty surface streets and access roads we can take where we can open him up.”

The women climbed on the bike, and after making sure Stephanie had a good grip, she throttled the FatBoy up, and pointed him toward town. They took more than an hour to get to Jennifer’s house, and by that time, Stephanie thought the smile would be permanently plastered to her face. Jennifer drew up in front of an imposing looking gate and entered a code. The gate slid open noiselessly, and Jennifer puttered up the drive. Out of habit, she turned to make sure the gate securely latched, and proceeded to the house. The house was primarily a light brown color, with muted sea green and dark Tudor brown accents. It looked like something out of a movie.

When they parked the bike and dismounted, Stephanie let out a whistle. “Holy shit, Hath; you weren’t kidding when you said you had all sorts of room. Wow, nice house.”

Jennifer smiled. She loved this house. It was one of the original town’s homes, at nearly 150 years old. “Thanks. Come on, let’s take the tour.”

Jennifer led Stephanie into the spacious foyer. She hung her jacket in a massive coat closet and reached back for Stephanie’s, and hung it next to hers. Stephanie was wandering down the hallway toward the great room. She stood back and watched the look on her friend’s face, glad she could surprise her. The great room ran the depth of the house, and was easily 40 feet long and 20 feet wide. An ornate stone fireplace was the focal point of the room. Flanked by ceiling-height bookcases, the fireplace was large enough to seat four. In fact there were stone benches carved into the interior of the structure.

“This is so cool!” Stephanie gushed, sitting inside the fireplace. “But, doesn’t it get too hot in here?”

“Nope, not for me,” Jennifer answered. “I’m always cold, so that’s like my most favorite seat in the house.”

They continued the tour through the dining room and into the billiards room, which sported a full bar along with the twin mahogany tables. Stephanie said, “Holy shit, Jen.”

Jennifer laughed. “These came with the house,” she said, lovingly stroking one of the tables. “I fell in love with them. Ex-ass wanted to get rid of one of them to put in air hockey and foosball, but I put my foot down.”

“Good decision,” Stephanie said. “What’s next?”

“Ahh, onto the kitchen: my pride and joy.” Stephanie oohed and aahed over the commercial-grade appliances and acres of countertops. Jennifer remembered with a smile the meal Richie had made her, and she had actually portioned off a small piece of lasagna and frozen it. She felt stupid, so didn’t say anything to Richie, but she wanted to save a bit of the first thing he ever made for her.

They went upstairs and poked in all the bedrooms and bathrooms, and went down to the lowest level to check out the home gym. “You really do have a stripper pole in your house,” Stephanie exclaimed. “That’s so cool.”

“Give it a try,” Jennifer cajoled.

She did, and laughed. “It’s a lot harder than it looks.”

“Naaah,” Jennifer answered, grabbing the pole about 2/3 of the way up and swinging herself up onto it, locking her legs around the pole and dangling upside-down. “It just takes practice.” Stephanie laughed and clapped, and the girls went back upstairs.

The women got acquainted over plates of cheeses and bread, and a good bottle of wine. Later, they grilled steaks for dinner. Stephanie made the salad while Jennifer reigned over the grill. They ate outside on the patio, chatting easily until it got too dark to see. The two women learned they had very similar upbringings, and had the same taste in music, movies, and books. “Movie!” Jennifer shouted. “That’s what we can do. C’mon.” They stacked their dishes in the sink, made a snack, and headed upstairs.

They dialed up a good horror movie on pay-per-view, and settled into Jennifer’s bed to watch. The bed was huge, a California King in deference to Jennifer’s height, and tendency to sprawl. They lay with a mountain of pillows at their backs, and a margarita mixer on a maid’s cart in the corner. A big bowl of popcorn sat on the bed between them, and they felt like high-schoolers at a sleep over.

The two friends jumped and shrieked appropriately, laughing at themselves and each other. When the movie was partway over, and the margarita pitcher nearly empty, the women were silly happy and Stephanie finally worked up the courage to ask her friend about Richie.

“What’s he like?” Stephanie asked.

Jennifer paused the movie and thought about it for a moment before answering. “He’s wonderful. He’s wildly romantic, funny and smart and witty, and the way he took care of me in Southampton, well, it was just lovely. That’s the word. He’s lovely. And BIG. He makes me feel petite. Oh, and he’s drop-dead, kick you in the head gorgeous.” She started laughing, and she couldn’t stop. Soon Stephanie was joining her; the two women sitting there with tears streaming down their faces. The ringing of the house phone surprised them and made them scream.

Jennifer pushed the speakerphone button. “Hellllooooo…” she sang into the phone.

“Well hello there, darlin’,” Richie purred, and Stephanie collapsed dramatically against the pillows. “Am I on speaker?”

“You are, my dear Richard,” Jennifer said, in her haughtiest tone, then ruined it by giggling at the end. “How was your flight?”

“Lonely,” he said, chuckling at her. “Just like my bed.”

Jennifer laughed. “Mine’s full,” she said, “though I have Stephanie sleeping on my side. I’m on your side. The pillows still smell like you.”

“So Stephanie made alright it then?” Richie smiled. He’s got his own side in her bed. His girl sounded like she was having fun. “What’re you doing?”

“Oh we’re watching a scary movie, and are all huddled up together to stay safe.”

Richie chuckled. “Does she speak?” he asked.

Stephanie laughed. “Yes, I speak,” she said softly, her heart pounding a mile a minute.

“Well hello there, Stephanie, darlin’,” Richie drawled. “Is my girl showing you a good time?”

“Apparently not as good as she showed you – OW!” Stephanie dissolved into a fit of giggles as Jennifer hit her with a pillow. “What? It’s true.”

Jennifer hissed, “Shut up…”

Stephanie laughed. “Oh, like he hasn’t bragged to his friends about your sexual prowess.”

“Prowess?” Richie interjected. “I have prowess? And for the record, I wouldn’t tell those guys shit about Jen’s, uh, skills shall we say.” He laughed. “They’re not the discreet kind.”

Stephanie laughed and Jennifer turned eight shades of red. She muted the phone. “Zip it, Steph, or I’m outing you as a writer.”

Stephanie’s laughter died mid-laugh. “You wouldn’t dare!” she exclaimed.

Jennifer un-muted the phone. “So, Rich, Steph and I have LOTS of things in common – OW!” Stephanie had just flicked her forehead. “You flicked me! Rich, she flicked me,” Jennifer whined.

He laughed. “You two are worse than me and David,” he said. “Don’t make me come and separate you two.”

“I’d like to see you try,” Jennifer said.

“Is that a DARE?” Richie asked.

Stephanie laughed. “Oh HELL yeah,” she said. “You man enough for the challenge?”

“More than man enough, darlin’, as Jennifer will tell you,” Richie said, his voice low.

Jennifer laughed. “Aw dammit, man, you’re making her make that swoony face. Thanks a lot.” She looked at Stephanie. “You know, he burps and farts just like other guys, right?”

“Jesus, Jen,” Richie said, while the girls laughed. “There goes my star factor with her. Thanks a lot,” he smiled. “Now who’s gonna moon over me at the airport on Tuesday?”

Stephanie laughed. “Don’t worry, Richie, I’ll be appropriately stunned by your presence.”

“See that you are,” he said. “Well, I’ll let you get back to whatever it is you two are doing in bed…” He let it hang but nobody took the bait. “Uh, girls?” he said.

“Sorry, baby,” Jennifer said. “I was just snuggling up to Stephanie and got distracted by her hair...”

“Take me off speaker,” Richie said with a thick voice, and Jennifer winked at Stephanie and picked up the phone. Stephanie sighed and turned toward the TV. She just talked to and teased and flirted with Richie Sambora. She was gonna have some good dreams tonight.

Stephanie heard Jennifer tell Richie she missed him, and started to get up. Jennifer put a hand on her arm and shook her head. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow then, sweetie.” She listened for another minute. “You wish. Bye baby.”

“He wishes what?” Stephanie asked.

“You don’t wanna know. Let’s just say he wanted to know if we pinch hit for the pink team when we tie one on.”

Stephanie started laughing. “Why is it that guys think it’s alright for their girls to have sex with another girl?”

“Because men are pigs, Ms. Stephanie,” Jennifer answered. “C’mon, let’s finish the movie.”