Authors: Syd Parker
“Forest through the trees.” Marly chuckled easily. “I think your mom said something like that earlier. No matter, I will turn Mason into
a dancing queen. Nikki will be putty in her hands.”
“Who will be putty in her hands?” Mason flopped down beside Marly and eyed the two women quizzically.
“I was just telling Marly that Alex has turned Lex into an even bigger softie than she already was.”
Mason tapped Marly on the leg. “He seems to have had the same effect on you. You looked quite at home with him.”
Marly felt her cheeks get warm, and she dipped her head shyly. The attention was nice, but foreign to her, and it had an odd way of making her insides deliciously warm. “He’s hard to ignore. Everything about a new baby is unspoiled perfection. The smell, the feel, the noises they make. He’s a very sweet boy.”
“Maybe someone is going to settle down here and have some of her own. It’s a good place to call home.” Aspen studied Marly closely, judging her reaction. She seemed at least open to the idea of staying in Burlington. And maybe, there would be something or
someone
in the future that would entice her to settle down. “For now, you can come around anytime you need a baby fix. I imagine in a month or so, we will both be tired of dirty diapers.”
“Thank you, I may take you up on that.” Marly nudged Mason. “What happened to your girlfriend?”
“She had a phone call. Something about an old friend.” Mason sighed loudly. “Wanna take off? After hearing her talk about all the clubs she’s been to over the years, I’m going to need a month of dance lessons.”
“You are welcome to stay for lunch. Aunt Ginny’s been cooking for
hours, and it’s worth sticking around for that.”
Mason hesitated long enough to let Marly know she wanted to head out.
“Thank you for the offer.” Marly stood up and smiled. “But Mason is right. I’ve seen her moves, or lack thereof, and if she is going to be even close to ready to go clubbing Friday night, we need to get started right away.”
Aspen stood up and hugged Marly. “The offer to visit is a standing invitation. You don’t need Mason either.”
“Hey!” Mason feigned offense and pulled Aspen into her arms. “I am standing right here; I can hear you.”
Aspen laughed out loud. “Yes, honey, I know. I would say the same thing if you weren’t standing here.”
“You guys ready to eat?” Lex popped her head around the corner and waved her hand toward the kitchen. “You’re staying, right? There is so much food.”
“No.” Mason shook her head. “I’ve got an errand to run. We just wanted to drop by and visit for a few minutes. Thank you, though.”
“What?” Maria’s nasally voice piped over the other noise in the house. “You’re not staying?”
“No, we really have to go.” Mason got Marly’s attention and silently pleaded with her to help. “I have a thing.”
“Blame it on me.” Marly shook her head. “I’m the party-pooper. I have to meet with Mom’s attorney to go over some of her paperwork.”
“Yes, Marly has a thing.” Mason pulled Marly toward the back door.
Marly smiled at everyone as she walked through. “It was nice meeting you all. Take care.”
When they were safely in the car, Mason smiled gratefully. “I have a hard time saying no, especially when they gang up on me.”
“It’s fine. I always feel like I’m intruding anyway, since they are your friends.”
“Oh, no, you’ve been adopted.” Mason looked over her shoulder and backed out, carefully avoiding the cars around her. “You’re stuck now.”
“Hey, if I get to sit for Alex, I guess it’s worth it.” Marly studied Mason’s profile as she drove, deciding whether or not to pry into her personal life any further than she already had. “So, you and Nikki looked pretty cozy.”
Mason felt her face turn red. Lately, the conversations had indeed gotten a bit more serious. Nikki was a hell of a flirt; that much Mason was learning. Her texts had gotten more suggestive, which lit a fire in Mason’s belly. Seeing Nikki face-to-face and having Nikki touch her skin in a blatant invitation was almost more than Mason could handle with all the people around them. She toyed with how much to reveal to Marly. “I’ll just say things are progressing nicely. We have talked a bunch in the last few weeks. She’s not at all what I thought. I kind of saw this edgy, balls-to-the-wall woman who
didn’t give a rat’s ass what people think about her, but she’s got a soft heart hidden under all that purple. I think she hides behind that to protect herself.”
“Is she thinking about sticking around?” Again, a feeling of sadness washed through Marly. She assumed it was the idea of losing one of the few friends she actually let her guard down for. “I would think a
long-distance relationship wouldn’t be very easy.”
Mason shrugged. “I don’t know. I think it’s probably too early to start thinking relationship.”
“Why are you working so hard to get her if you aren’t planning on keeping her?”
“I didn’t say I didn’t want
long term. I just think it’s too early in the relationship to think that far out. We haven’t even kis…” Mason stopped abruptly. Her stomach jumped at the mere thought of their first meeting. They had kissed. As a matter of fact, they had almost done a whole lot more. “I’m taking it slow.”
“Whoa-ho-ho, back up, pussycat.” Marly turned in her seat and shot Mason with a penetrating glare. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”
Mason blushed and groaned loudly. “We may or may not have made out the first time we met.”
“Oh, girl, how long were you planning on keeping that from me?” Marly shook her head in disbelief. “I thought we were doing all this to win her over, but you already have her.”
“Not exactly. That night doesn’t count. She was upset and a little tipsy. Besides, I want it to be based on something real and not some drunken make-out session. It isn’t just about her, though. It’s for me. I know I have things that I need to change.”
“Says who?” Marly studied Mason with a critical eye. “I said tweaking. That is an entirely different beast than changing yourself for someone. I think you’re amazing just the way you are.”
“Yeah, but it’s just you. You’re my friend; you’re supposed to think that. Nikki, well, she’s different. She’s…”
Marly flopped back in her seat. “She’s a gorgeous, alluring, sexy
woman, and I’m chopped liver. I don’t have the same high standards like she does, so of course I think you’re wonderful.”
“Marly, I’m sorry.” Mason reached over and squeezed her hand. “That is not what I meant at all. I just meant Nikki has traveled the
world. She's sophisticated. She’s been courted by rich women who have no problem dancing and don’t wear overalls as their everyday attire. I want to make sure I stack up to what she is used to.”
“Mm, not making it any better. I say if she doesn’t like you for you, then move on. Don’t waste your time on her.”
“She’s not like that. It’s my insecurities that make me feel inadequate, not her.”
“You promise? Mason, promise me that you won’t let her change who you are inside. You have a wonderful heart. And you’re not grotesque to look at.”
“Jeez, thanks.”
“I’m teasing.”
Mason slowed the car down and pulled into her driveway. “So, you will still help me out?”
“Yes.” Marly couldn’t help smiling. The sad look in Mason’s eyes was enough to break down any walls she tried to erect. “Come on.”
Mason followed Marly between the houses and up the stairs to the porch. Marly knelt down and pulled a key from beneath the doormat. “This means I don’t have to drag a purse everywhere I go.”
“You’re a
very trusting woman.” Mason hid the smile that tugged at the corners of her mouth. Anne was the same way. She left her front door unlocked all the time. In the idyllic town of Burlington, not much happened as far as crime went, but Mason wouldn’t be caught dead leaving her house, and especially her garage, unlocked. She had way too much money invested in her welding equipment.
“It seems this was always the place I felt safe.” Marly opened the door and led them inside. “I’m going to change clothes real quick. Make yourself at home.”
Mason watched Marly disappear up the stairs then wandered into the living room. She had been in the house countless times over the years, but now it seemed different somehow. Maybe it felt less inviting without Anne here, less cozy. Her eyes roamed around the room. Marly had left everything the same. It took several seconds before Mason realized that it was the smell of baking that was missing. Anne was always in the kitchen, whipping up Mason’s favorite cookies or homemade bread. It was something Mason realized she missed very much.
“Okay, I’m ready.” Marly joined Mason in the living room. She
changed from her jeans and polo to cutoff jean shorts and a T-shirt. “I’ll admit right now, my methods aren’t what you would expect.”
Mason’s eyes traveled the length of Marly’s well-sculpted body. She didn’t mean to, but as she drank in Marly’s curves and the fullness of her breasts,
which, up until now, had gone wholly unnoticed, Mason moaned appreciatively.
“Huh?” Marly didn’t look up from the TV, so she missed the heat in Mason’s cheeks.
“Uh, nothing. I was just remembering the times Anne and I would gather here and watch TV. She was a
Desperate Housewives
junkie.” Mason paused when Marly bent over to insert a disc into a player on the entertainment center. She swallowed guiltily at the thoughts that her friend’s body put in her head.
That’s right, Mason, she’s your friend. It’s just your hormones talking.
Truth be told, it probably was as simple as that. Mason ignored the pounding in her chest and slowed her breathing back down. It was as simple as Mason needed to get laid. Right now, the wind could change directions and she would probably get turned on.
Focus on Anne. That’s a safe topic.
“That sounds like Mom. She loved
Days of Our Lives
when I was growing up.” Marly grabbed a controller and pushed play. “Ready?”
Before Mason could make a comment about the lack of music, the room filled with the sound of “Get Lucky” by Daft Punk. She watched as Marly started to dance side-to-side then rotate in her arms in perfect time with the music and mirroring the moves on the television. Marly moved with each new step effortlessly. Mason stared in complete awe as her body gyrated in time with the beat. When the song ended, the only move that seemed remotely familiar to Mason was the running man.
“Did…you…get…the…idea?” Marly huffed between words and flopped down in the chair. “That…is…a…workout.”
“Yes…no.” Mason nodded helplessly. Honestly, she didn’t get it at all. Even when she saw the character on the game do a step and Marly translate it
into real life, she was completely lost.
Marly laughed out loud. “I can promise
you; it took me a while to get it down. I looked like a complete buffoon the first few times I did it. But for the latest dance stuff, this game is great. Just give it a chance. I promise you will pick up enough moves to fool Nikki.”
“I’m willing to try it.” Mason pushed her out of the chair. “Okay, tell me what to do.”
“First, let the sensor pick you up. There’s no controller with the Kinect. See how it shows your body in green.”
Mason nodded and moved her arms around wildly. The infrared figure on the screen mirrored her movements. She strummed a fake guitar in wide, sweeping arches then fell to one knee dramatically.
Marly smothered a snort. “That’s great…if you are going to some underground 80’s hairband revival party. I looked up the club and Higher Ground is not that. You might want to get serious.”
Mason might have almost believed the stern warning if it weren’t for the smirk on Marly’s face. “Yes, Ms. Cabot.” She recited the line in a sing-
song voice, and her player jumped sideways as Mason dodged the playful punch that Marly threw. “Okay, okay, I’m serious. Let’s do this.”
Marly talked Mason through choosing an avatar, picking her song and hitting play. “Mm,
“Gangnam Style”
.
Starting off with a good one.” Assuming that Mason had gotten the idea of how to follow the directions from the dancers as they scrolled below, Marly stepped aside.
Mason shook her hands at her sides and cracked her neck. She wasn’t sure she agreed with Marly’s methods, but she was willing to try anything. Seconds later, the music
started, and she tried her best to imitate what Marly had done just seconds before. She put her hands on her hips and kicked to her left, trying to keep up with her avatar. As soon as she got the move down, the screen changed. Mason, bless her heart, tried to do the downward steps, mirroring the movement with her hands. It took her seconds to realize that she looked like a chicken strutting around the yard, flapping its wings. She tried hard to stay with it, but when the next move required crossing her arms and kicking her feet forward like a Russian dancer, she dropped her chin in defeat. “This may work for normal people, but clearly not someone with two left feet.”
Marly smothered a laugh and plastered the serious look of a teacher on her face. “Let’s try it as a couple. See the characters at the bottom of the screen. They will slide across the bottom right before the next series of steps starts and give you the moves. Like this guy who looks like he is holding a bucket of water with the arrow pointing up and down. He’s actually doing this.” Marly lifted her left knee then her right knee and pushed her clasped hands toward the floor. She repeated the move slowly a few times then sped up and did it in time with the music that played earlier.