Reece blew out a loud breath. "Really, Cor, would you have ever stopped knocking?"
"No. So," the dancer nodded towards the bottle, "I thought I was a better friend than Jack."
"Jack doesn't ask questions."
"True. Jack doesn't care about you like I do. Talk to me."
"No."
"Reece, you left the door open, talk."
The club owner gritted her teeth. "It's hard. You just won't get it."
"Try me. I'm smarter than I look."
Reece swung her chair around and jumped out of it. She began pacing. "I just want things back to normal! I don't want cameras and magazines, and autographs. I don't want tabloid assholes sneaking into my club and fucking everything up. I just want it back the way it was! Is that so hard to understand?"
"No, it's not."
"Then why is Faith so fucking mad at me? She blew a fit tonight like she never did before. I feel like she's not the same Faith. I want it all to go away."
Cori pursed her lips in thought. This wasn't easy for Reece to hear and she wanted to choose her words carefully.
Reece took a big swallow of whiskey and made a sound as it burned.
"Reece, you can't go backwards. You can only go forward, the both of you together. You can't be at each others throats or it will destroy you."
Reece scowled. "Faith already hates me."
"No she doesn't and you know that. She hates the way you're acting. You're being unreasonable."
Reece blew up. "See! I knew you don't get it!"
"Then leave. If it's so hard to accept Faith's profession, and the details that come with it, leave her."
Reece's eyes widened. "Fuck off, Cori."
Cori was up in Reece's face. "Then deal with it. Like the fucking adult that you are."
Reece's nostrils flared. "I can't."
"Yes you very well can. She's gonna do this movie, and you're gonna deal with it."
"I sure am." Reece said, swallowing another mouthful of liquor.
Cori poked Reece in the shoulder. "Yeah, drunk and stupid."
"My choice, and don't poke me again."
"Or what. Reece you don't need this, and Faith doesn't either. So, you'll forget about it for one night, but it'll still be there in the morning. The last thing we all need is you drunk and out of control."
"I'm all by myself. I'm perfectly in control, and if you're so worried about me, I'll just stay here tonight."
"Oh, sure, that'll make everything better."
Reece growled. "Isn't it time you got out of here?"
"I'm going. Just remember Faith loves you with every breath in her body. She's not doing anything other than what she always dreamed of. Don't take it away from her. She'd never do that to you."
The club owner watched Cori leave and sneered at the door. "Fuck her."
Faith saw who it was on the caller ID and didn't pick up the phone. She knew Cori was going to try to appeal to her common sense and Faith didn't want to think with common sense. She just wanted to go through the script and prepare for the morning. She briefly wondered if something happened with Reece, but knew if it did, Cori would be more adamant and not hang up. Sighing, she grimaced as the phone rang again. She tried to ignore it but Cori was being persistent.
"What."
Cori grinned at the voice. "I know you know why I'm calling."
"Yeah, she's miserable isn't she."
"Beyond. Cut her some slack, Faith. This is hard for her."
"I have cut her some slack, she's being impossible now."
"She's drinking, babe. Just a heads up."
"Thanks Cori. I gotta go."
"I don't like this at all. I love you both but you're going to give me an ulcer. Just chill already."
Faith felt guilty. "I'm sorry Cor. I love you too. Thanks for trying to talk sense into me. And thank you even more for letting me know that one is drowning her sorrows."
"You're welcome. Now, I'm the one that's gotta go."
Faith scowled at the dial tone, and reached over for the dog. "So, she's getting drunk huh? She's going to want to come home and make love. Reward herself for drinking, well, not tonight. She needs to realize that making love isn't always the answer."
Reece was pretty drunk by the time she left The Lounge, but no one was able to tell. She was really good at hiding her intoxication when it counted. She made her way out into the early morning air and took a deep breath. She began walking up the avenue, deciding to take advantage of the almost empty streets. Just as she made it two blocks, she felt them behind her. Her hackles bristled.
"Hey, that's a chick in that tuxedo."
Reece smiled evilly. Come on boys, say it.
She heard snickers of laughter behind her, conspiratorial whispers and her evil grin became wider.
"I know, it's a friggen dyke."
Make me turn around, come on fuckers. You have no idea what you're doing.
"Hey, dyke, wanna meet a real man?"
Reece spun around in a flash, her fist connecting solidly with flesh and bone.
He hit the ground on his ass. One boy ran, the other stood, stunned.
"Come on dickhead, make me hit you again." She advanced on the guy and he tried to scoot back as his friend was trying to pick him up, so his friend went down behind him.
"You fucking broke my nose you dyke bitch!" Blood sprayed from his mouth as he yelled.
Reece's eyes flashed and gave the kid a glimpse of The Animal lurking beneath the surface. She yanked him up violently by the sleeve, cocking back her fist. "There's plenty more where that came from, wanna try me?"
The kid pissed himself and Reece laughed. "Stupid boy, go home before I really hurt you." She released him and he almost killed himself trying to run away.
Reece groaned loudly. That felt way too good. It would take hours to compose herself before getting home.
Faith felt her wife in the room although she didn't hear her sneak in. She sensed Reece standing behind her, and if she concentrated, she could hear her breathing. "I see you finally made it home. What time is it? Oh, it's seven, good morning."
Reece was surprised to see Faith dressed so early. She wanted to crawl in bed and make love. She walked to where Faith was facing and knelt down in a wobbly fashion. "Where are you going?"
Faith wrinkled her nose. "You're drunk."
"So?"
"I have a meeting, remember?"
"Yeah, but, I want you."
"You should have thought about that before you came stumbling home at 7."
"Kiss me." Reece demanded, leaning forward.
Faith watched her wife fall into her knees. "Charming. I gotta go, the car is waiting for me."
Reece looked towards the shadow that just appeared next to her and tried to scramble to her feet pitifully.
"Theresa, good morning."
"Morning." Reece mumbled and went after Faith. "Baby, I just needed to forget!"
"I'll call you later." Faith slipped into the big black car and was gone.
Reece leaned against the doorframe, her mouth feeling dry and hot. She scowled and made her way to the fridge for some water.
"So, you are drunk."
"Don't you start with me too. I'm going to bed."
Mrs. Ashford felt horrible for Reece. She wanted to hug her, but didn't know if she could. "Faith told me you have some new job at the gym, do you want me to wake you?"
"Shit!" Reece blurted. "I forgot about that. Yeah, please wake me at noon."
Her daughter's lover looked so sad, and wounded as she trudged up the stairs. Marsha took a deep breath and made her way to the sofa, Smudge hot on her heels. She pat the small dog on the head and flipped on the television. This was going to be a long morning.
F
AITH SLUMPED INTO the back seat of the car. Ted glanced at her in the rear view mirror and frowned. "Are you okay, Miss Faith?"
"Quit calling me Miss Faith, Mr. Williams."
Ted chuckled, "You know she would kill me. She insists I address you with respect."
Faith frowned. "Yeah, well, she isn't here."
The driver grinned, glad Reece wasn't there to glare at him every time he blew through a yellow light. "Why so sad? You should be excited."
"I am excited, trust me." Faith replied flatly.
Ted shook his head, knowing when to quit.
Faith sat in silence the rest of the way, thinking a myriad of things. Is Reece sleeping? Is she even home? Will she even be there later? When is mom leaving? When will dad start speaking to me again? What is Alicia Alvarez really like? How does she kiss? Are her lips dry? How will Reece react when the sex scenes arrive? How will I feel when I kiss Alicia? What if I get hot?
"We're here Miss Faith."
Faith blinked a few times before realizing they stopped. "Oh, thanks. I don't know how long I'll be."
"That's alright, I'll be around when you're ready."
Faith stood in front of the building with excitement and trepidation. Well, here goes nothing.
Faith's sharp nails bit painfully into Reece's overheated flesh as she pumped into her. The actress's heels dug into her lower back, pulling her deeper inside with every thrust. Reece sweat with the effort, grunting with every movement of her hips. Faith's mouth was open, little breathy sounds of pleasure escaping, driving Reece deeper into her sexual haze.
"Come for me, Faith."
"Oh, yes…" Faith breathed out.
Reece bit her bottom lip, hard, as she watched the extent of Faith's pleasure wash over her face. "Come on baby." She encouraged.
Faith dug into Reece harder, with her legs and nails, throwing her head back.
"That's it Faith…"
Faith groaned deeply. "Ohhhh, Alicia!"
Reece woke immediately, with a loud growl. "What the fuck kind of dream is that?" She asked the empty room. "Fuck!" Her head pounded. Is that what Faith is thinking? Sometimes, she won't open her eyes, even after I tell her to.
The quiet knock on the door made her pull the covers up over her sweaty body. "Yeah, Mrs. A, I'm up."
Marsha opened the door and looked in. "Oh dear, Theresa! Look at you! Did you have a nightmare?"
"Oh, yeah, a horrible one." Reece muttered, rubbing her red eyes.
"Would you like to talk about it?"
"No. Thanks for waking me, I gotta get ready."
The older woman watched Reece skeptically for a moment, then left. She needs Faith, not me.