Chapter Thirteen. Like I care if I get a fucking birthday cake from her, Graciela said

"Like I care if I get a fucking birthday cake from her," Graciela said. She shoved a tortilla chip in her mouth.

Chase and Gitana were having lunch at Gardenas with her and Delia. It was Graciela's birthday and Jacinda wasn't speaking to her. The luncheon was Chase's idea. She was trying to socialize and acclimate herself to holidays and family events. She didn't want Bud to adopt her hermit ways.

"We don't have to do this," Gitana had said before they left the house as Chase sorted through her clothes in search of a decent outfit.

"Does this look okay?" Chase held up a gray shirt and beige trousers.

"No." Gitana grabbed a white blouse off the hanger, held it up against diem. She nodded. "When in doubt choose white. I think a pair of black jeans would do better. This is a little frumpy. When did you buy those hideous slacks?" she asked.

"The other day. I thought they'd be perfect for PTA meetings." Chase studied them. They were ugly, but they'd seemed like the beacon of respectability.

Gitana got the black jeans out and whisked away the offending garment. "Bud isn't even born yet. We'll get you proper outfits when the time comes."

Chase was humbled. Normally, she had good taste. The trousers were a sign that she was trying to be something she was not. She'd have to watch that.

"I mean it about not going. Graciela won't care. She's going to Delia's tonight where they will have a decadent party in her honor."

"But we're her family."

"I know," Gitana had said.

And now they were here and Chase thought Graciela looked pleased. The waitress came by with a pitcher of margaritas and spring water for Gitana. Chase ordered more chips and grabbed one of the few remaining ones before Graciela devoured them all.

"I slept with Jasmine the other day," Delia said. She took a sip of her margarita and sat back.

The tortilla chip headed straight for Chase's lungs. She gasped and turned red, coughing violently. Gitana patted her back. Delia offered to do the Heimlich maneuver and Graciela suggested a sip of margarita.

"How about some water," Gitana said, handing Chase her glass.

Chase took a sip and regained control of her breathing.

"Like I was saying, remember when we talked in group about sex and how I offered to show her the ropes, well, she took me up on my offer."

"Jasmine, your writer friend, the one who's married and obviously straight?" Gitana said.

"Yes," Chase said. She took several sips of her drink in order to drown the chip and to try and stave off her unease.

"Straight women are so hot. Rock on," Graciela said, giving Delia the high-five.

"Dude, this story is your birthday present from me to you with love." She smacked Graciela on the lips.

Their relationship completely confused Chase. Gitana had tried to explain it to her, but Chase still found it incomprehensible. Graciela had told Gitana that they'd slept together. Two butches getting together made no sense according to the rules of engagement set forth by the Pink Mafia.

"Onward, soldier," Graciela said.

Chase unraveled her silverware from the linen napkin and tried to catch the waitress's eye. Please let there be an interruption, she pleaded. She would never look at Jasmine the same way. She tried distraction. "Has everyone decided what they want?"

She looked around again. The restaurant wasn't busy and their table was offset as she'd requested. Who knew what Delia and Graciela were capable of saying or doing in a family establishment? She was glad of her choice.

"So," Delia continued, "the way it went down, Jasmine suggests we have lunch at the Sheraton in Old Town. I'm not thinking anything of it. I know the bar so I'm thinking lunch and a drink."

"Duh, hotel restaurant, hotel room," Graciela said. She poured another margarita.

Chase looked at Gitana in hopelessness. She took her hand. "It's her party."

Delia nodded. "Yeah, quick lunch, two drinks and we're at the front desk. Jasmine pays cash. The clerk is kind of funny about it until she pops him an extra twenty. He hands over the keys."

"Is this really a good family topic?" Chase eyed the margarita pitcher.

Gitana nodded. "I'll drive."

Chase topped off Delia's drink, hoping she might get sidetracked and not go into lurid details.

"Yes, then what happened?" Graciela asked. The huge slurp

she took off her drink reminded Chase of uncouth sailors sitting around a tavern waiting for the storm to subside so they could get on their rat-infested ship—something straight out of Melville.

"We get to the room and sit on the bed. Jasmine looks really scared so I say in my most compassionate and tender voice..."

"Gag me," Chase said. She made a show of studying her menu hoping this would be a clue to the others as well as the waitress.

"Ignore her," Graciela said, picking up her fork and pointing it at Chase. "She knows nothing of butch courting rituals."

It was true. She didn't. She was not a butch, but she wasn't exactly femme either. Gitana was pretty femme, but she was also responsible for most of the seductions.

Delia didn't miss a stroke. "I say I won't do anything she doesn't like and she can tell me to stop anytime."

"Straight women melt at this," Graciela informed them.

The waitress brought more chips. Chase was hoping they could order. The motherly looking Hispanic waitress got out her order pad, but Graciela waved her away.

Chase looked at Gitana. "Did you know about any of this stuff?"

"What stuff?" Gitana asked.

"Seduction methods."

Gitana shook her head. "It's news to me."

"You two need to get out more," Graciela said.

"What? So now you're the Dr. Ruth of lesbians," Chase said, snatching a chip and dunking it in the refilled salsa bowl.

"Then I sucked her fingers." Delia graphically demonstrated.

Finger-sucking was news to Chase. It had never occurred to her. What other things did she not know? It seemed that there were only so many ways to get laid but here was something else.

"Works every time it's tried," Graciela said.

"That's a blatant appropriation of the abstinence campaign," Chase said. She could hardly believe she was quoting Conservative rhetoric on the use of abstinence as a teen birth control method.

"Lovely, isn't it," Graciela said, helping herself to an enormous

handful of chips.

"You aren't going to be hungry for lunch," Gitana said, pulling the chip basket away from her and in Chase's direction.

Chase, now extremely interested in the finger sucking, took Gitana's hand and put her index finger in her mouth. She ran her tongue around it and bit it softly. Gitana flushed.

"See, it works. She just creamed her pants," Graciela said.

Chase picked up her fork and poked her in the forearm. "Don't talk about your sister like that."

Graciela rubbed the sore spot and ignored her.

Delia, not distracted in the least, continued her narrative. "Then kissing. She can kiss."

The waitress came back. Thank God, Chase thought. A perfect diversion.

"Obviously more margaritas," Graciela said.

"And food would be nice," Chase said, pointing at the menus.

"Alas, to be continued," Delia said. She looked down quickly at the menu.

"Don't bother," Chase said.

When Graciela flipped her off Gitana touched her arm to prevent her from poking Graciela with her fork then smiled sweetly at the waitress and ordered spinach enchiladas. A choice Chase agreed with for the baby's sake. She ordered the same. Delia ordered some fish taco thing that Chase was certain was sick and perverted. Graciela ordered the grande nachos as if in defiance for being deprived of the chip bowl.

Delia continued with more lurid details of what went where while Chase and Gitana learned things they'd never thought of. Jasmine definitely got her education, Chase cogitated. The food arrived, which put an end to the birthday porn feast. The family birthday party couldn't be over soon enough as far as Chase was concerned.

On the drive home, Gitana took Chase's hand. "You did really well today. I'm proud of you."

"Not to mention I had to listen to sex stories the whole time."

Gitana hit the freeway and floored the Hummer. Chase looked over in astonishment. "You're right it does have balls," Gitana said, and smiled like a sixteen-year-old just discovering the utter thrill of speed.

"Just be careful—remember it's the safety corridor—double fine zone for speeding."

Gitana set the cruise control for five over. "You know what I don't understand?"

"What?" Chase stuck Gitana's finger in her mouth.

"That you can write moist-mound sagas, but you don't like to talk about it."

Chase let go of her finger. "I'm shy." She put Gitana's index finger back in her mouth, gently wrapping her tongue around it.

"Oh, my."

Chase let go. "You like?"

"Uh-huh."

Chase did it again. By the time Gitana got off at the Zuzak exit her face was flushed. "You've got to stop that or I'm going to have to pull over."

"Pull over."

The first dirt road they hit, Gitana pulled in. They tested the passenger's seat recline feature.

As Chase lifted Gitana's blouse, she said, "Good thing this thing has tinted windows."

"The Hummer is growing on me. It's very versatile," Gitana said, as she straddled Chase and undid her trousers, slipping her hand inside. "I think this finger-sucking thing is good for you too."

"Oh, yes. I like these stretchy pants too. They're very convenient," she said, reaching inside Gitana's maternity pants.

"Very."

Дата добавления: 2015-10-31