Emerge Victorious

Chapter 14

JR nervously walked down the ramp into the airport terminal. She had her backpack slung over her shoulder and a small overnight bag so there was no need to go to the baggage claim. JR carefully followed the signs to the passenger pick up area where she planned on meeting her mother. It was Spring break and JR decided to take everyone’s advice to visit her mother.

“JR!” JR heard her mother’s voice. Both being small in stature, they craned their necks to be able to see the other in the crowd.

“Mama?” JR called out then ran as she spotted the familiar face. “Mama!” JR said as they hugged and kissed. After a moment, Mel gently pushed JR back to get a good look at her.

“Oh my God, look how much you’ve grown,” Mel commented on how mature her daughter had become in the months they had been apart. “You’re so beautiful,” Mel gushed making the teen blush.

“Oh Mama,” JR gave a shy smile.

“Come on, let’s go find your bags,” Mel said as she indicated the baggage claim area.

“I have everything,” JR stated as she held up her bags.

“Wow,” Mel stated incredulously not quite believing a teenage girl could contain a week’s worth of clothes in one small overnight duffle bag. JR assured her mother that was indeed all she had then they proceeded towards the parking lot.

What JR didn’t say was that Lindsay had helped her pack. With Lindsay’s newly found independence came more responsibility at the gallery. Sidney was sending Lindsay out on short buying trips. Lindsay had learned to pack efficiently and economically. Plus, Lindsay informed JR that Mel would have to have a washing machine!

“Um, are you hungry?” Mel asked hesitantly, slightly unsure of her place in JR’s life now. Mel had made lunch reservations for them at a local café. Lorna was going to meet them there.

“Uh, yeah, I am. They didn’t serve any food on the airplane. I could eat.”

“Great! It’s about an hour away so you can take a nap if you want,” Mel suggested, feeling awkward.

“Sure,” JR responded, settling back into her seat. She had slept for most of the flight but she pretended to close her eyes in order to study her mother. JR had no doubt that she loved her mother and wished only good things for her, but she had to honestly admit that her life was so much calmer and happier now that she was living with her dads. Her dads had no grand plans for her future other than her finishing high school, college and being happy. Their rules were simple, be honest, be safe and just talk it out whenever JR had a problem or question. She relished the unconditional love she felt from her father and the intellectual stimulation and emotional strength she got from Ben.

Her relationship with Lindsay had blossomed into something very special. The time they spent together JR cherished. Both she and Lindsay were emerging from the breakup of their family with better focus on the important things in life. All the rest was just bullshit.

JR gazed at her mother who was carefully maneuvering the car through traffic. Mel looked older; there were a few more lines on her face. JR thought she would always be the ugly duckling next to her mother. Mel was beautiful and sexy. She always knew how to dress and exhibited so much confidence. JR didn’t think she’d ever live up to her mother’s expectations. Now, maybe JR didn’t have to. She now realized that some of those expectations were of her own making. Her mother wasn’t as intimidating as she once thought. JR would never be as sexy as her mom, taking after her father more than Mel, but she knew she now had more...what was that word Debbie used every once in a while? Chutzpah. That was it. JR had chutzpah or to put it like her Uncle Brian would say, JR had balls.

JR smiled to herself. She liked having balls. And she enjoyed working in her father’s store. She was proud that her suggestions for the business were taken seriously and were making the store more profitable. Her mother wouldn’t have allowed JR to spend as much time there as she did. Her dads told her that as long as it didn’t interfere with her school work, JR could spend as much time in the store as she wanted. JR was finding real life meaning in some of her classes as she made the correlations between what she was learning in school and her experiences at the store. Her improved grades were proof of that.

After a long drive, they pulled up near a quaint looking café where Mel could easily find parking. JR looked over at the restaurant hoping that their experiences here would be a lot better than that other ‘quaint’ place back home. JR followed her mother into the restaurant.

“Hi!” Mel cheerfully greeted Lorna with a kiss when they reached their table. Lorna stood to be introduced to JR. “Lorna, this is my daughter JR. Sweetheart, this is Lorna Tilman.”

“Hi,” JR said as she boldly took Lorna’s outstretched hand then discreetly gave the woman the once over.

“Hello, JR, it’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard wonderful things about you,” Lorna said. JR smiled as they all took their seats. “How was your flight?”

“Fine. Long,” JR replied as she picked up the menu in front of her, pretending to study it. Mel and Lorna exchanged looks but picked up their own menus.

A very pleasant waiter came by to take their orders then JR excused herself to go to the ladies room.

“Of course, baby, take your time,” Mel said sweetly. JR wanted to wash her face a little but she also wanted to call her brother.

“Gus?” JR whispered into her phone.

“What?” Gus whispered back.

“I just met her.”

“Met who? And I’m fine. How are you? And how was your flight?”

“Fine, but never mind about that. I just met Mama’s girlfriend,” JR said impatiently. She didn’t have time for niceties.

“Yeah, and…?” Gus got with the program.

“Her name is Lorna,” JR stated like that explained it all.

“And?” Gus had no clue.

“Gus!” JR stamped her foot impatiently.

“It’s not like you sent me a picture. What does she look like?” Gus snapped back.

“She’s tall and blond.”

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me!”

“No, I’m not, and I’ll see if I can send a picture later. We’re at some cafe to eat lunch.”

“So how are you talking to me?”

“I’m in the ladies room,” JR stated as if it was obvious and her brother was a stupid boy.

“You just got off the plane and now you’re hiding in the bathroom talking to me. Go back and you can call me later,” Gus said reasonably.

“Okay. I love you, Gus. I really don’t want to be here. It’s kinda weird.” JR sounded sad.

“I know, but you know that this is something you had to do. I’m going out there after the semester ends before I go back to Kinnetik. You can tell Mama that if she asks.”

“Okay. I better get back. Later.”

“Later.”

JR shoved her phone back in her bag, washed up then returned to their table.

“We thought you got lost,” Mel joked. Before JR could come up with an excuse, their food had arrived. JR smiled then dug into her lunch.

Later when they got back to the condo that Mel and Lorna shared, Melanie showed JR to the room that had been designated for her. It was a pleasant room but devoid of anything personal. Melanie had hoped that JR would fill it up with her stuff. When it looked like that wasn’t going to become a reality, the women decided to keep the room a generic guest room.

JR unpacked then feeling tired and overwhelmed she laid down to take a nap.

 

*****
 

“So what do you think?” Mel asked Lorna after she checked on her daughter. When JR hadn’t returned to the living room, Mel went to her room. She found her daughter fast asleep. Mel took a quilt off a chair and laid it over the sleeping teen.

“I think she looks like a very nice young lady,” Lorna replied.

“That’s it?”

“Mel, we’ve only just met. We barely said three words to each other. She’s polite and very pretty. I wouldn’t have expected any less since she’s your daughter, but beyond that I’m not prepared to offer an opinion.” Lorna was very sure of herself. She might have resembled Lindsay physically but she had a stronger personality. Lorna was not easily manipulated.

“Okay. I’m not expecting miracles,” Mel began. Lorna gave her a look. “Well, maybe a little but I would at least like you two to get along.”

“I’m sure we will, given time,” was all that Lorna would say as she turned to go into another room that served as their in home office. Lorna had taken a couple of days off from their practice to spend time getting to know JR, but now she decided she should take advantage of the lull to do some work. Mel, feeling a bit useless at the moment, since JR was asleep, decided to read through her latest brief.

With her glasses perched on her nose, papers in hand, Mel made herself comfortable on the small sofa in their office. Lorna thought Mel looked very sexy as she was engrossed in her reading. Quietly, Lorna got up from her desk and walked behind the sofa. She reached down to softly caress Mel’s breasts. Mel moaned as her body responded.

“We can go to our room for a while,” Lorna suggested.

“What if JR wakes up?”

“She’s a smart kid, I’m sure she’ll understand.” Lorna punctuated her remarks by pinching and tugging on the hardening nipples in her fingers.

“Okay,” Mel groaned unable to resist. The girls retired to their room for their own ‘nap’.

 

*****
 

“Gus?” JR whispered into her phone.

“What?” Gus whispered back.

“Yetch, they’re having sex,” JR said with disgust.

“Well what do you expect? They aren’t dead.” Gus laughed.

“But they’re...”

“What?”

“I don’t know.”

“Don’t your dad and Ben do it?”

“Yeah, but they’re gay men. Gay men are always horny. Mama is mama and she shouldn’t be doing it.”

“That doesn’t make any sense. You didn’t care if Mom and Mama fooled around.”

“That’s because they’re our parents and yeah, I didn’t like all that kissy face stuff but I put up with it cause it meant that they weren’t arguing. Gus, I feel bad, Mommy doesn’t have anyone.”

“Don’t worry about Mom; I don’t think she’s ready yet. She and Candy are still getting to know each other and she’s been busy teaching and with the gallery. Mom will be fine.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah. So did you take a picture of Mama’s new snatch?” Gus teased.

“Gus, sometimes you’re just gross.”

“Yeah, well I learned from the best. So did you?”

“No, not yet. She seems nice. Very smart but tough, you know?”

“Yeah. JR, this is for the best. I know you don’t want to hear that but Mom and Mama haven’t been happy for a very long time. I think they pretended for us but they weren’t really happy.”

“I know. Hey, I think they just came out of their room. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Okay. I love you, little sis,” Gus said.

“I love you too even though you are gross. Later.”

“Later.”

JR snapped her phone shut then went to find her mother.

 

*****
 

“Mim, are you okay?” Candy asked as she came down the stairs from her room. She saw Lindsay sitting on the sofa staring off into space. That was exactly where and how she had left Lindsay when she went upstairs fifteen minutes before.

“Hm, oh, I’m fine, just thinking,” Lindsay responded.

“Are you worried about JR?”

“A little,” Lindsay admitted.

“She’ll come back,” Candy said trying to be reassuring.

Lindsay smiled gently. “I’m not worried about that. I know JR wants to live here in Pittsburgh.”

“Then what is it?”

“I’m worried that she and Mel will get into some sort of confrontation. I want this trip to be a good one for both of them.”

“You do?”

“You sound surprised that I would want that for my daughter.”

“I … I thought you’d be worried that the trip might go too well,” Candy said uncertainly.

Lindsay laughed gently. “A few months ago I probably would have been worried about that, but things have changed. I’ve changed.” Lindsay smiled up at Candy. “I know JR loves living with her fathers, and I have a great relationship with her. I know she’ll be coming home. I don’t have to worry about that. But I also want her to be happy, and she’ll never be truly happy if she doesn’t resolve things with Mel.”

“Wow, you sound so self assured and confident. I hope I’ll sound like that when I grow up,” Candy replied slightly in awe of Lindsay’s answer.

“You will, sweetheart. I know you’re going to grow into a beautiful, talented and confident woman.” Lindsay watched a small tear slide down Candy’s face. “What is it?” Lindsay asked concerned. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No, not at all,” Candy replied swiping the tear away. “You … you just sounded so much like my mother. She used to say things like that to me all the time.”

“That’s because they’re true,” Lindsay said standing up and pulling Candy into a warm hug. “You’re going to be a wonderful, successful woman.”

“Thanks, thank you so much,” Candy said returning the hug. “How can I ever thank you for everything you’ve done for me?”

“Make those words come true, and that will be thanks enough,” Lindsay said sincerely.

They stood locked in a hug for quite a while. The ringing of the phone brought them both back to reality.

“I better get that,” Lindsay said stepping back.

Candy nodded and headed for the stairs. She needed some time alone to process what had just happened. She wasn’t sure she liked thinking of Lindsay in the same terms as her mother, but that had been just what she had been feeling when Lindsay’s words had sounded so much like Janet’s. Candy didn’t want to be disloyal to her mother’s memory. She needed to think about what had just happened. She quickly ran up the stairs as she heard Lindsay answering the phone.

“JR, it’s good to hear from you. How are things going?” Lindsay asked.

“Do you really want to know, Mommy?” JR asked.

“Of course I do, or I wouldn’t have asked.”

“I met her.”

“Who?”

“The woman that Mama’s living with.”

“Oh, I see,” Lindsay said, understanding JR’s fear that this news would upset her. “I knew you’d meet Lorna. It’s okay to tell me about her. I promise I won’t be upset.”

“But…”

“JR, you don’t have to worry about me. I can handle the fact that Mel has found a new partner. Now tell me how you’re doing.”

“I don’t like it here.”

“Have you given it a fair chance?”

“What…what do you mean?”

“You know what I mean,” Lindsay said in a straightforward manner. “You’ve only been there for less than a day. Give them a fair chance.”

“But, it’s yucky.”

“What’s yucky?”

“Them, everything. Mama shouldn’t be with someone else.”

“JR, life gives us things to deal with. Melanie has made her choices, and you’ll have to make yours. Try to get to know Lorna, and see if you and Mel can reconnect. She is your mother. She deserves that chance.”

“But … I don’t want to let you down,” JR replied uncertainly. She wasn’t sure how to react to Lindsay’s statements. It sounded like she was supposed to accept everything she saw out here and not find anything wrong with it. That certainly wasn’t the attitude she had expected from her mother.

“The only way you’ll let me down,” Lindsay said taking a very serious tone with her daughter, “is if you don’t even try to get along with them. And I don’t want you worrying about me. I’m fine, and you can tell Mel exactly that.”

“Okay, I will,” JR responded in the same decisive manner.

Lindsay chuckled. She could just envision Mel’s face when JR told her that Lindsay was doing just fine without her. Sometimes revenge was sweet, especially when it was the simple truth. “I love you, sweetheart. Try to have a nice time while you’re there.”

“Okay, Mommy, I’ll try.”

“Good girl. I’ll talk to you soon.” Lindsay set the phone down and decided that it was time for a cup of tea. She was enjoying picturing Mel’s face when JR told her that Lindsay wanted them to get along because she was completely happy with the way things were.

 

*****
 

“Daddy,” JR said into her cell phone.

“Honeybun,” Michael responded. “I can see the look you’re giving me, but you are my honeybun, and I miss you.”

“I miss you too, Daddy. I wish I could come home.”

“But you just got there.”

“I know, but I don’t like it.”

“You need to give Mel a chance, JR. Have you met the new woman in her life?”

“Yeah, her name’s Lorna.”

“What’s she like?” Michael asked, curious to know who Mel had left Lindsay for.

“She’s a lawyer, tall and blond like Mommy.”

“No shit!”

JR chuckled. “Daddy!”

“Sorry, Honeybun, but that wasn’t what I expected.”

“Me neither.”

“Well, you need to make the best of it. Give them a chance while you get to know Lorna.”

“Geesh! Everybody keeps telling me to give them a fair chance. What if I don’t want to?”

“You need to try, JR. Mel is your mother, and I want us all to get along.”

JR heaved a large sigh. “Okay, Daddy, I’ll really try, but I don’t think I’m going to like it here.”

“But your mother doesn’t have to know that.”

JR giggled. “You’re so bad, Daddy,” she replied pleased at her father’s rather naughty suggestion.

“I didn’t hang around your Uncle Brian for all those years for nothing.”

JR laughed out loud. “I love you, Daddy.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. Call me tomorrow?”

“I will.”

“And try to enjoy yourself,” Michael admonished gently before he cut the connection.

JR sat up on her bed, dropped her feet to the floor and decided that it was time to go face the two women she had been sent there to be with. She hoped she could keep a straight face if she thought about what she knew they had been doing before she got on the phone.

 

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