Just Like Old Times

[SweetAsSuga]

Closed for heartofcourage


Bright summer sun filtered through the canopy of leaves, casting a pale green light over everything. The tree lined street hadn't changed at all in the five years since Melody Cain had last driven down the winding road. And now, she was back. Back in the town where she'd grown up, back in the town where she'd spent eighteen years with friends that she viewed as her sisters. But that was years ago, now they had all drifted apart, gone down different paths in life. Now, however, she was going to see them all again.

Melody felt weird driving into past her childhood home, which was no longer a place that she felt welcome. After college, she'd finally found the courage to come out to her parents, hardcore Catholics who immediately kicked her out and whom she hadn't seen since that day. She was twenty-six now, was in a committed relationship, and had a thriving career as a fashion photographer. So why did she still feel so empty?

She shook her head to clear it of any negative thought as she pulled up outside of the Sunnyside Bed and Breakfast - the only place in town with a spare room. Gail's wedding had every hotel in town booked solid.

The wedding was the reason she was, after all this time, returning to her hometown. Gail would be the first in their circle of girlhood friends to get married, and, as was everything Gail did, it would be an event to remember. It had completely shocked Melody when Gail had invited her, along with the two others of their circle, to be her bridesmaids. But how do you say no to someone you once saw as a sister? And so, here she was.

After checking into her room, Melody fell back on the four poster bed and dug her cellphone out of her pocket, dialing the number that she'd had memorized since childhood. When the woman on the other end picked up, Melody felt her tension ease slightly.

"Please tell me you can get away for a drink," she said, running a hand through her raven black hair, "because I have a feeling we are going to need to be completely wasted to get through this week."

 

[heartofcourage]

Sunnyside was the kind of place that only seemed to exist in fairy tales. It was a small town with strong religious values that seemed to be picture perfect on the surface. Scratch that surface and it had a seedy underbelly like many towns, but on the whole it was a beautiful place to live.

That’s probably what brought Maggie Jones back after an unsuccessful stint out on her own. Her childhood hadn’t been a great one. Born a world away in the largest city in the area, it had been a culture shock for the young girl when she finally found herself in Sunnyside. She’d never had a father and her mother was a hippy who dabbled in drugs and petty theft. She’d been arrested by the police more time then Maggie could count and try as she might, Maggie had never been able to outrun the taint of her wild mother.

She was adopted by her grandmother, Miss Mary Jones, when she was ten and was finally given a chance at life that she could never have dreamed of. The first thing to change had been her name. Her mother’s free spirited ways had left her daughter sporting the unfortunate moniker of Magnolia. Always sensible, Gram had shortened it to Maggie when she was enrolled in the local school.

And it was there that she’d met her best friend, Melody. It was an unfortunate side effect of growing up that had torn them apart. Melody went on to bigger and better things after high school and Maggie had been left behind, her grades never good enough to apply to college. Still, she wasn’t one to settle for obscurity and she’d tried to make it in the city for a while as a model but nothing ever came of it.

It was Gram’s illness that had brought her back, licking her wounds and ready for forgiveness. Owner of the best bar and restaurant in town, Gram deed the business over to Maggie on her twenty-fifth birthday and Miss Mary’s was officially hers. She had never worked so hard on something in her life and the little place was her pride and joy. It meant even more when Gram had died earlier that spring.

Shaking away the sad thoughts, Maggie glanced up at the restaurant that was busy with an early dinner crowd. Her waitresses were bustling to and fro, greeting the guests and seeing to their needs. It seemed that everyone was in town for Gail’s wedding. Gail was the first of their little circle of friends to get married and the thought made Maggie smile. She was a beautiful woman and her soon to be husband was certainly a handsome man. They made quite the pair and it wouldn’t be soon until a little one joined them….well, at least that’s what the rumor mill was saying.

Glancing at the phone beside the bar as it rang, Maggie made her way to it and wiped her hands on her black apron, picking up the line on the third ring. “Thanks for calling Miss Mary’s. How can I help you?”

She laughed softly as she heard Melody’s voice on the other end, already ready to go for a drink. “Well, if you can get down here soon, I might be obliged to pour you one. The bar’s not completely crowded yet. Come on down.” She said, eager to see her dear friend one more time.

Maggie Jones: http://www.socialbliss.com/assets/user_images/pic_11819_1353939056.jpg

 

[SweetAsSuga]

"God that was just what I needed." Melody sighed, her throat burning from the shot she'd just downed. She slammed the glass down on the sticky counter and gestured for Maggie to fill it up again. "I'm going to need quite a few more if I'm going to make it through these next few days. The one bright spot in this hell week, though, is getting to see you." She smiled at Maggie, who stood behind the bar. Her bar. God that was weird. To think that the two of them used to spend time behind the bar during high school, learning from Maggie's grandmother how to mix drinks. It seemed like a different life.

Melody wracked her brain, trying to remember why she and Maggie had lost touch for so long. The only answer she could come up with was time and distance. Like any long distance relationship, the two had simply gone down different paths and their daily phone calls had dwindled to once a week, to once a month, to whenever they could find the time, and, eventually, ended all together. But there was something about seeing an old friend again, especially one who was as close as a sister. It's like no time had passed and the two were back to their old, giggly, high school ways.

Downing her second shot, Melody coughed, "That's the stuff." She grinned at Maggie who was laughing at her.

Leaning forward, Melody studied Maggie intently. There was something off in her expression. She looked happy, but Melody could see something beneath the surface.

"How are you, Mags, really?" She asked.

 

[heartofcourage]

It was like a breath of fresh air the moment that Melody stepped into the restaurant. She couldn’t really describe it, but Maggie felt a missing piece from the past reattach in her heart the moment that her friend sat down at the bar and ordered a shot of tequila. Maggie laughed and simply refilled the glass like a dutiful tender, grinning as Melody told her that the bet part of the week was getting to see her.

Had she really meant that? After all that time gone, Maggie would have thought that Melody would have forgotten about her and the little town that she’d grown up in. She had heard about her career and had supported her when she outed herself to her parents, but time had stretched their friendship so thin that they eventually lost contact.

She was pulling out another bottle of tequila when the bombshell dropped and Melody asked her the question that she usually avoided from everyone. Her dark eyes turned towards Melody and she sucked in a sharp breath, considering what she was going to say.

“Well, I’m actually doing really well. Miss Mary’s is always busy. I guess it’s all I can really ask for.” She said with a smile that Melody probably knew was complete bullshit. “But I do miss Gram. You know, she always knew where you were and what you were doing. She was always your biggest fan. I tried to let you know when she died but…I don’t know, everything just seemed to go so quickly.”

The truth was that after Gram died, she’d been incredibly alone. The big Victorian house she lived in seemed empty and the bar wasn’t as cheery. Combine that with a life of failure and regret and Maggie was a pretty sad case. She wished she could have been as strong as Melody, to have the courage to live how she wanted, but it always seemed best to simply go with the flow.

“And what about you, Mel? How are you?” She asked, pouring her another shot.

 

[SweetAsSuga]

Melody didn't buy Maggie's story for one second. There was obviously a lot of hurt, sadness, and loneliness behind Maggie's positive demeanor and Melody felt horrible for never coming back for Mary's funeral. She'd been so wrapped up in her own life that she hadn't worried about what Maggie must have been going through. But she was going to fix all that. This trip home was a time to mend old wounds and bridge the gap that had separated them for so long. For the time being, though, she would play along with Maggie and pretend that everything was okay.

"Me?" Melody tapped her chin with a perfectly manicured finger, pretending to be deep in thought. "Well, Larissa and I just moved in together. We've been dating for two years now and we thought it was time to take the next step. I'm booked solid for the next five months what with Fashion Week coming up in New York, and then I'll be heading to Europe for awhile for a bunch of different magazine spreads. So, I guess you could say I'm doing pretty well. Though it is really weird to be home and not see my folks. I guess they still haven't gotten used to the idea that their precious daughter is a lesbian loving, muff diving, dyke." A sardonic smile twisted Mel's lips as she knocked back another shot. So maybe everything wasn't alright in her world, but her parents hating her was a small blip in the grand scheme of things.

"Now, let's move on to something fun." She said, quickly perking back up to Fun Loving Melody. "You are two shots behind," she grabbed the tequila from Maggie's hand and poured three shot glasses, "drink up, bitch." She grinned as she pushed the three glasses towards Maggie. "We are going to have fun tonight and getting drunk off our asses is only stage one."

 

[heartofcourage]

The news that her friend was still with Larissa was most definitely a shock. She nearly poured the tequila she was placing in a shot glass on the counter, covering the moment by coughing. She had met Larissa just once, after traveling to the city for a lunch with Mel right after the two had begun dating. She didn’t like the woman from the instant that she saw her.

Larissa had seemed like one of those fake, plastic people that latched onto an up and coming talent and only saw the dollar signs in the future. She wasn’t what her sweet, silly friend needed. Still…it was something to be said that Melody had found love while Maggie had struggled to find her way.

When Mel started talking about her family, Maggie truly felt for her. Maybe she would tell her this weekend that her father had been asking about her lately. He seemed to be ready to reach out to his daughter, even if her mother was still as resistant as ever. She was sure the Mel would be shocked to see the changes in her father too. He looked older and older, more road weary and weighed down each time she saw him.

“Something fun?” Maggie asked as she was reminded that she was two shots behind. A smile graced her features as the friend that she loved come to the surface and insisted that she drink all the shots arranged on the surface of the bar.

Picking up the first, she tossed it back, wincing at the burning taste that flowed down her throat. The second followed easier and as she picked up the third, she toasted Mel and threw it back quickly behind the second.

“Mind telling me what stage two is?” She asked, laughing at the excited look on Mel’s face.

 

[SweetAsSuga]

"Well..." Melody paused dramatically, a devilish gleam in her eyes before she burst out laughing. "I have no fucking clue, but it's going to be fun and dangerous and we're not going to be able to do it sober."

Maybe she was more drunk than she thought, but Melody didn't care. She, honestly, didn't want to be sober at any point this trip. She wanted to get drunk off her ass and not remember a single thing when she woke up in the morning. She didn't want to remember how it felt to be back in this godforsaken town. She didn't want to remember the horrible fight she and Larissa had gotten into before she left. Melody didn't want to remember anything other than how good it felt to see Maggie again and pretend that she was a teenager again.

"Oh, remember when we used to go down to the quarry and spend hours jumping off that rope swing?" She asked, suddenly perking up as an idea hit her. The quarry was a local hangout for teens, it was an old rock quarry that had gotten flooded years ago. Now, teens went and hung out and swam in the quarry, even thought it was closed to the public. It was also a well known spot among the drinkers and potheads. Melody, Maggie, and Gail had spent more than their fair share of time down at the quarry getting drunk, high, and whatever else happened to tickle their fancy.

"What say we sneak down there for old time's sake." Melody grinned mischievously, waiting for Maggie's answer.

 

[heartofcourage]

Maggie laughed as Melody reminded her of the old quarry and the rope swing. It had made up much of their childhood and since it closed to the public a few years ago, it was practically deserted.

“I’ll bring the booze if you drive.” Maggie said with a grin, laughing as Melody’s eyes lit up.

God, her eyes were beautiful, Maggie thought to herself as she reached beneath the bar and pulled out a few bottles of tequila and some nice whiskey as well. Placing them in a basket, she placed it on the bar and told Melody that she would meet her out in the parking lot in a moment.

“I’m leaving for the night, Rebecca. Lock up and leave the till on my desk. I’ll get to it tomorrow.” She told her head manager and grabbing her purse, she stepped out into the beautiful summer day, grinning as she saw the sleek little car that Mel was driving these days.

“So, is this what all the successful photographers are driving these days? If so, I’m most definitely in the wrong profession.” Maggie commented, grinning as Melody gave her a go to hell look.

 

[SweetAsSuga]

Casting a playful glare at her friend, Melody situated herself in driver's seat of her red Viper. She'd always had an obsession with sports cars and now, with business doing so well, Melody was finally able to indulge herself. But her life wasn't as glamorous as many believed it to be. Perhaps that was why Maggie's words had stung.

There was no way in hell that Melody would admit it to anyone, she'd barely admitted it to herself, but she feared that Larissa was only with her for her money. A fear that was gaining credence as her girlfriend continued to spend her money on designer clothes and shoes, expensive dinners and nights out at the clubs. And many of her nights out were without Melody, whom Larissa claimed worked too much, thus neglecting their relationship.

But Melody would not dwell on these facts. She was here to have a good time with her old friend and not think about Larissa and who she would be out partying with that night.

"It has its perks." Melody shrugged as the engine purred to life.

The drive to the quarry wasn't too long, especially since the roads were practically empty and Melody was able to race down the streets, showing off the power of her car. Pulling into the deserted area around the quarry, the two women emerged from the car.

"Oh man, it looks exactly the same." Melody said glancing around. "How long has it been since we were here last? I wonder if our stash is still in the same spot." Moving towards a fallen tree where the girls used to stash their pot, Melody reached into a hollowed out area. "No way, Maggie, it's still here." She said, her hand emerging with a small baggy.

Returning to the car, Melody jumped up on the hood and stretched out.

"Come on, girly, and bring that booze." She said, patting the place next to her.

 

[heartofcourage]

“Leave it to you to find something in our old hide out.” Maggie said, laughing as the baggy was dangled in front of her face before Melody slid onto the hood of the car, patting the place next to her and telling her to bring the booze.

Not one to deny such a nice little request, Maggie handed her the bottle of tequila and slid up beside her, sighing at the perfectly magical little moment that the old quarry was giving them. She kicked off her heels, leaving them beside the car as she stretched out in the sunlight and let the rays soak into her body, taking away her worries.

“I think it’s been six years since we were here. It hasn’t changed at all, has it?” She asked, glancing up at Mel as she tipped the bottle back against her lips and then passed it back to her.

The bite of the alcohol made Maggie shiver, but she moaned in pleasure at the little buzz that started in her head. “Not that things have changed all that much though. The kids still come down here to lose their virginity after a dip in the water. In fact…I’ve heard that’s how Gail snatched up her man. Seems that our little bride has a bundle of joy on the way.”

Maggie couldn’t help but start giggling at the look that Melody gave her. “Oh, come on. You know working in that bar makes me one of the biggest gossips in town.”

 

[SweetAsSuga]

"Wait a second here, are you telling me that Virgin Mary might actually be knocked up?" Melody couldn't believe her ears. If any of them had been virtuous it was Gail. The girl had clenched her knees together at the mere mention of sex. Times sure did change.

"That is un-fucking-believable." Melody laughed and laid back on the car, taking a swig of the bottle that Maggie handed her.

"So what else is new in the gossip mill?" She asked, handing the bottle back.

It was strange how time seemed to stand still right then. It was as if nothing had changed, as if no years had passed since she'd last sat here with Maggie gossiping about anyone and everyone in their little town. As Maggie filled her in on the small town happenings, Melody deftly rolled a joint. It had been years since she'd rolled one, but it came back as easily as riding a bike.

A slight grin pulled at her lips as she remembered how horny pot used to make her and wondered if it still had the same effect. If it did, she'd come prepared, but all her toys were, sadly, back in her room. Not that she would have pulled them out right there in front of Maggie anyway.

Looking out over the quarry, watching the way the slowly setting sun hit against the cloudy water, Melody felt a sense of homesickness she hadn't felt in years. She missed Sunnyside. She missed her family. She missed seeing Maggie and talking to her everyday. Melody hadn't realized just how much she missed everything until that moment.

 

[heartofcourage]

Maggie hadn’t felt so happy in a long time. Spending time with Mel was like a breath of fresh air in a life that had grown stale and predictable. She got up in the morning, went to work, left in the middle of the night to go back home to an empty house. It was incredibly depressing.

Passing the bottle of tequila back and forth made her nice and relaxed. The joint made her delightfully buzzed and as they watched the sun go down, Maggie sighed happily. She glanced towards Melody and couldn’t help giggling. She really hadn’t changed in all the time she’d been gone from home.

“God, Mel, I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed having you around.” Maggie said, feeling a lot of words that she really wasn’t prepared to say ready to spill off her tongue. “I miss calling you and meeting for lunch. I miss laughing with you like this. Most of all, I miss seeing you.”

She reached over and placed her hand on her friend’s thigh, giving it a squeeze. Maggie had always enjoyed a beautiful woman, although she could appreciate a handsome man as well. She had never told anyone in her life and she didn’t think that she really had the courage to, but Mel was completely different. Mel was safe. Mel was simple…Mel.

“Melody, why don’t you come back to Sunnyside? You can move in with me. I’ve got that big old house that’s way too big for one person. You look so…tired.” Maggie had always been truthful when it came to Melody and she could see the weight of the world on her best friend’s shoulders. “Things aren’t great with Larissa, are they?”

Leaning across the hood of the expensive little sport’s car, Maggie pressed her lips against her friend’s ear, giggling as she told her, “To tell you the truth, I always thought she was a little bitch.”

 

[SweetAsSuga]

Maggie's offer of a place to stay was far too tempting. And the hand on her thigh was not helping Melody think. Her brain, already foggy from the drugs, was trying to muddle through the logic of moving back to Sunnyside while trying to fight off the lust that was quickly building inside her. Maggie's hand was in far too tempting a place and the fact that she hadn't gotten laid in almost a month was not helping either.

"I don't know," she said with a shake of her head, "I don't think I could just pick up and move. I mean, my whole life is back in the city. And even though you're right about things with Larissa not being the greatest, she still means a lot to me."

Melody sat up, trying to clear her head. She needed to think. But Maggie's lips were on her ear, right at her most sensitive spot - the one that sent little jolts of pleasure straight between her legs. She stifled the moan that threatened to pass her lips.

“To tell you the truth, I always thought she was a little bitch.” Maggie's giggle filled her ear and Melody couldn't help but giggle along with her.

"That's true. She is a bit of a bitch." Melody agreed. "For some reason, though, I love her. Even if she has been treating me like shit lately." All of a sudden, tears welled up in Melody's eyes and she couldn't hold them back. It was as if all the pain she'd been feeling the past few months bubbled up to the surface and the floodgates opened. "Maggie, I don't know what I'm gonna do when I go home. I know Larissa's cheating on me and using me, but I don't feel that I deserve anything better than that. I hate going home and knowing that someone else has been in my bed with my girlfriend. I just don't know what to do anymore."

 

[heartofcourage]

Maggie was shocked when Melody started to sob, tears welling in her eyes as she poured out all the uncertainty and pain that she’d been holding back. As she confessed that Larissa was cheating on her, Maggie felt her heart clench tightly in pain for her dear friend.

She would never understand how a woman like Melody could believe that she wasn’t good enough for something. Melody was stunningly beautiful, smart and funny…everything any man or woman could want in a partner.

Maggie reached out and gathered Mel against her chest, hugging her tightly as she let her cry. She made no move to stop her, just soothing her by stroking her hand over her back and rocking her back and forth as the sun set around them.

“Melody, you deserve so much more. You really do.” Maggie said, her cheek pressed to the top of her friend’s head. “If you don’t want to go home at the end of the weekend, then don’t. Stay here with me and get your head together. Tell Larissa to get the hell out of your house until you decide what you want.”

 

[SweetAsSuga]

What was wrong with her? Melody, who prided herself on always being the strong one, never broke down the way that she was right then. But, with Maggie, it was all so much easier. She felt that she could finally let go of everything that had been building inside of her, and with Maggie holding her, it all came out in one big, teary mess.

Finally, after what seemed like hours of crying, and with her eyes feeling like they were full of sand, Melody sat up, wiping her eyes.

"God, I really needed that." She said with a little laugh, her throat tight. "Thank you. I didn't mean to lose it like that, but thanks for being there for me." Her smile felt weak, but all of Melody felt weak at that moment.

"I think I'll call Larissa later when I'm not so drunk and have a serious conversation about our relationship. Actually, maybe I should be drunk." Melody chuckled as she toyed with the vodka bottle in her hand. "And depending on how that phone call goes, I might just take you up on that offer of a place to stay."

Jumping off the hood of the car, Melody moved towards the edge of the quarry.

"Didn't we come here to have fun?" She said, turning to smile at Maggie. "Let's start over, shall we? How about a dip in the quarry, for old time's sake."

With a devilish grin, Melody stripped off her shirt and pants and dove into the quarry in her lacy underwear.

 

[heartofcourage]

Maggie smiled softly as Melody talked about calling Larissa and talking about their relationship. It would mean a lot if she came to stay for a while. At the very least, it would give her the companionship that she had sorely missed.

“You do what you think you need to, Mel. You know that my door is always open and a room is always ready.” She said, leaving the topic alone as Melody suddenly jumped off the hood of the care and edged towards the quarry.

Her eyes widened as she talked about taking a dip, striping out of her clothing and diving into the water in her lacy underwear. God, she looked beautiful in those expensive little panties and bra. Maggie felt…uncomfortable all the sudden. Her friend was a beauty with the world in the palm of her hand and Maggie, well she felt like the ugly duckling in comparison.

“I guess if it’s for old time’s sake.” She said, pulling her shirt over her head and exposing her coral pink bra. “Although, if I remember right, the water’s freezing cold and filthy as can be.”

Shimmying out of her jeans, she kicked them into a pile with her shirt, her panties hugging her curves perfectly before she made her way to the edge of the quarry and dove into the water next to Mel with a perfectly executed cannonball.

 

[SweetAsSuga]

Laughing, Melody pulled herself out of the water and began wringing the water out of her hair. How long had they spent swimming and splashing each other, Melody didn't care, it was just good to finally feel like everything was right in her life.

Falling back on the grass, Melody reclined in the fading sunlight, drinking in the still warm rays.

"When was the last time you felt so free?" She asked, her voice soft, as if she were afraid of breaking the spell of the moment. Reaching for the bottle of tequila, which had rolled beneath her car, Melody took a quick swig before handing it towards Maggie who had settled beside her. She took in her friend's body, her eyes lingering too long on the gentle swell of her breasts and the slope of her stomach. Melody had been too long without a warm body beside her at night, but that was no excuse for looking at her friend the way she just had. She needed to get things straight with Larissa before she even considered looking at another woman, let alone a woman who had been her friend for as long as Melody could remember.

 

[heartofcourage]

“When was the last time?” Maggie echoed, stretching her drenched body from head to toe before she settled beside Melody in the grass. “It’s been a long time. Probably not since you left town.”

Taking the tequila bottle, Maggie tipped it back against her lips, taking a deep, heady gulp before she let out a long sigh. Her eyes were trained on the sun disappearing behind the quarry walls and as the darkness started to settle around them, she felt a strange sense of loneliness. Mel would leave her…just like she always did. She’d be alone with the lonely little life that she lived, no one around for comfort.

“I think the last time was when we took that road trip to North Dover to see that rock concert. Your parents were so mad!” She said, turning her gaze towards Melody.

She was surprised at the look of appreciation and the hint of want that Mel had in her gaze. What did Melody think about when she looked at her? Did she see a woman worthy of desire and love?

“Tell me what you’re thinking, Mel.”

 

[SweetAsSuga]

“I think the last time was when we took that road trip to North Dover to see that rock concert. Your parents were so mad!”

Melody laughed loudly, the sound echoing through the quarry, at the memory.

"Oh god," she gasped, "I thought they were going to shit bricks when we came home. Remember the guy that spilled his beer on us? It took me days to get that smell out of my hair."

Glancing at her friend, Melody's laughter died on her lips as she met Maggie's gaze.

"Tell me what you’re thinking, Mel.”

Such a loaded question. One that Melody wasn't sure how to answer. There were so many thoughts swirling through her head, so many desires that she dared not voice. Suddenly, the moment was too serious, the air too charged, and Melody's head was swimming with alcohol and weed and she couldn't think straight.

She sat up abruptly, needing space to breathe and think.

"Nothing really." She said, running a hand through her hair, tosseling the dark waves. "I think I've had a bit much to drink." She dropped the nearly empty bottle onto the grass. Melody stretched her arms above her head, working out the kinks in her muscles and trying to appear as if everything was all right.

Which couldn't be further from the truth.

There was no denying that Melody was messed up. She had to be in order to be looking at her friend and feeling that familiar tingle of desire and need in her stomach. If anything, Melody needed to get back to her room to work out the tension that was building between her legs. Maybe then she wouldn't be picturing Maggie's face peering up at her, her tongue lapping hungrily at Melody's wet center. The image caused Melody's skin to flush. She could only hope that the fading light hid the sharp color that rose in her cheeks.

"We should get back." Melody said, hopping down from the car's hood. She needed to put space between herself and Maggie. "I promised Gail that I'd meet her bright and early tomorrow to go over the seating chart. Apparently there's some issue with her family and future-in-laws."

 

[heartofcourage]

Maggie knew the moment that their conversation came to an end. For some reason Mel didn’t want to talk about her life and the way things were now. She dearly loved her friend and it hurt to see her aching so much. She wished that there was something she could do to help her…

“Okay.” Maggie said softly as Melody insisted it was time to go. “Are you good to drive? If not, I can call one of the girls from the restaurant to come and pick us up.”

She slid off the car hood herself, stretching in much the same way that Melody had. She let out a little sigh as she stood there staring at her friend, a strange little tingle shooting down her spine at the way her friend looked in the fading light. There was something so earthy and beautiful about Melody and she hoped that she knew that.

“You’re a beautiful woman, Melody.” She said softly, not sure where those words had come from. “Incredibly beautiful and if that bitch that you’re dating can’t see that…well, she doesn’t deserve you.”

 

[SweetAsSuga]

Driving back into town, Melody tried to focus on the road, but thoughts were flying through her head a mile a minute and she found her focus drifting. The ride back was silent and Mel couldn't have been more grateful than when she finally dropped Maggie off at her home. She tried to forge the words that had been so softly spoken, tried to pretend that she'd never heard them.

“You’re a beautiful woman, Melody. Incredibly beautiful and if that bitch that you’re dating can’t see that…well, she doesn't deserve you.”

What had Maggie meant by them? Closing the door of her room behind her, Melody shook her head, trying to clear the words from her mind. She was reading too much into it. She had always struggled with an attraction to Maggie, knowing full well that her friend was straight and nothing would ever happen between them. Now her long ignored feelings were trying to make more of Maggie's words than the woman had intended.

Melody fell onto the bed, fully clothed, her hair still damp, and curled up in a ball. Her head was spinning, the floral wallpaper dancing in front of her. She was way more high and drunk than she'd thought. It was a miracle she'd been able to get them back to town in one piece.

With a groan, she buried her face in a lilac-scented pillow and waited for sleep to come.

*****​

It was a struggle to get out of bed the next morning. Melody's head pounded and her tongue felt dry and fuzzy. Managing to dress herself in a pair of jean capris and a loose white peasant top, Melody twirled her hair up into a messy bun and applied a light layer of makeup to hide the dark purple bags beneath her eyes. With a last look in the mirror she sighed, resigned to the fact that she would just have to look like hell for the rest of the day.

Making her way through town, Melody pasted a smile on her lips as she met up with Gail outside the diner. Not looking forward to spending the next few hours trying to arrange seating charts, Melody ordered coffee as soon as the two sat down and quickly gulped it down before indicating a refill to the waitress.

"Wow, bad morning?" Gail laughed, watching as Melody drank her next cup in two quick slurps.

"Not at all." Melody's laugh sounded fake in her own ears but she hoped that Gail didn't pick up on it. "They just make diner mugs too small. You know me, used to drinking Starbucks' venti size every day."

Gail nodded, as if that was sufficient answer, before launching into the issue with the seating chart, which lay out on the table with carefully color coded labels for each guest.

With a quick thanks to the waitress who refilled her mug for the third time, Melody tried to focus on the task at hand. Out of the corner of her eye, however, she caught sight of Maggie making her way across the street and towards the diner. Unbidden, the events of the previous night flooded Melody and she wished that she had something stronger than coffee to fortify her.

 

[heartofcourage]

The first light of day splashed against Maggie’s face and she woke with a moan. Her head felt like it was about to explode and as she turned onto her belly, she sighed softly. Rubbing at her eyes, she slowly opened them and looked around her cheerful yellow bedroom.

She didn’t remember getting home last night but for a few flashes of Mel driving her home after their swim at the quarry. Why had she let Melody talk her into drinking and smoking weed last night? She was getting too old for that crap, she thought to herself as she peeled herself from between the sheets and stretched out her sore and tired muscles.

A glance at herself in the mirror told her that she’d had the foresight to take off her scummy clothes. She nude skin nearly glowed in the morning sunlight that came through her parted curtains. She studied her body for a moment, her eyes trailing from her perky breasts topped with pink nipples to the flat belly that flared into a nice pair of hips.

Why had she never been able to find someone that would love her body just as much as she did? A string of failed relationships were all she had to show for her life. She believed in love and she still prayed that it was out there. With a sigh, she turned from the mirror and grabbed a quick shower.

Pulling her damp hair into a ponytail, she pulled on her favorite pink bra and panties before she shimmied into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt that had the logo of her restaurant emblazoned across her chest. She might have dressed like a slob most of the time for her job, but it didn’t mean that she couldn’t enjoy the pretty undergarments that secretly hugged her body beneath.

Once she was ready, she pranced from her front door, walking the short distance to the café. She nearly stopped short as she saw Mel and Gail sitting in a booth, going over things from a color coded list. Mel looked fantastic that morning, she had to admit that there was certainly something sexy about the woman. Maybe she’d always had a little bit of a crush on Melody…

Shaking the thought from her head, she entered the diner, smiling at her waitresses on staff. It was that slow time of day between breakfast and lunch and there were a few people still around, mostly workers from the electrical plant that were coming off the third shift.

Grabbing the coffee pot, she made her way towards the table where her two friends sat. “Hey, you two. More coffee, Mel?” She asked, pouring the hot liquid into the mug as she glanced at Gail. “More orange juice, Gail?”

 

[SweetAsSuga]

Melody tried not to stare as Maggie poured more coffee into her mug, but her eyes could not be diverted from the image of Maggie's long, tan legs. Nor could her mind empty of the image of those legs up in the air and spread open to reveal the hidden treasure between them.

Oh god, Melody dropped her head into her hands, stifling a groan as she mentally tried to force the image of a naked Maggie, withering on the bed beneath her, from her mind.

I'm going to hell, she thought as she felt the curious glances of her friends, plain and simple. I am going to hell for lusting after my best friend. My straight best friend.

Okay, so things weren't the greatest with her girlfriend, but that didn't give Melody the right to lust after other women. Especially when it was a woman that she had grown up with. A woman that she had seen changing in locker rooms, dressing rooms, and at slumber parties.

Her eyes flicked to Maggie discreetly. If memory served her right, there was a very firm body beneath those clothes with tight, supple breasts that had perfect nipples, just right for sucking on.

"Fuck," she muttered under her breath before pushing out from the booth. "Excuse me, I'm going to run to the ladies' room." As she moved past Maggie, she tried very hard not to brush against her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Maggie was surprised when Mel suddenly bolted from the table, brushing against her on her way towards the restrooms. She glanced down at Gail with a confused look on her face and was greeted with nothing but a shoulder shrug.

“Maybe I should go check on her.” Maggie muttered as Gail laughed softly. “I’ll get Mary to bring you our a fresh orange juice.”

After she left the order with Mary, she made her way to the restroom. Knocking on the door, she waited a moment before entering. “Mel? Is everything alright?” She asked, her voice a little hesitant and worried that she had screwed something up the night before.

 

[SweetAsSuga]

Resting her back against the door to the bathroom stall, Melody took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart and thoughts. There wasn't much she could do, however, for the ache between her legs.

She heard the knock on the outside door before it opened. She knew, without a doubt, that it was Maggie even before she spoke.

"Mel? Is everything alright?" The hesitancy in Maggie's voice tore at Mel's heart and she took another deep breath before answering.

"Everything's fine, Mags." She tried to reassure her friend, though she knew her own tone did nothing to dissuade Maggie's fears. With one last fortifying breath, she opened the stall door and walked out to face Maggie.

"I'm just a little hung over is all." Melody forced a smile as she moved to the sink and began to wash her hands. "Nothing to worry about, I promise." She met Maggie's gaze in the mirror and turned up the brightness of her smile.

Drying her hands, Melody moved to the door. "C'mon, let's get back to Gail before she thinks we've ditched her."