Date: Thu, 22 Mar 2012 20:02:33 -0400 From: Barry Gold Subject: Rikki and Ginny Rikki & Ginny When Two Lovers Explore Ginny picked up Rikki after school Monday. Rikki dumped her bags in the back and hopped in next to Ginny. Planting a wet one on each cheek and nose, the new lovers briefly sucked face. Ginny nipped at Rikki's nose, barely missing, "I guess you had a good day?" "A most excellent day. I got an `A' on my Math test and I didn't fall down during practice." "Fall down?" "Well, it usually means that nobody scored on the starters during practice." "Well done. Not to change the subject, but what did your mom say about Friday?" "She said ok, but I have a midnight curfew. And she wants to talk to us Saturday." "Sounds like a plan." "What are we going to see?" "It's a surprise." "Where are we going to eat?" "A place I frequent a lot." "Named?" "I forget." Sighing, "I guess I'll have to wait `til Friday." Ginny just smiled. Pulling up beside her house, Rikki jumped out and came around to lean in and kiss Ginny, "`Nite, Love." "`Nite. See ya tomorrow." Rikki spent the next three days trying to get Ginny to tell her where they were going Friday. Kissing, threats, bribes, etc., all had no effect. Thursday, it was all Rikki could do not to drag Ginny into the house, rip her clothes off, and make mad passionate love to her. "I'll pick you up at 5:00, tomorrow. `Nite." It was 5:00, on the dot, when Rikki's mom answered a knock on the door. "Good evening, Ginny. Rikki will be down in a minute." "Good evening, Mrs. Laveque. We have a few minutes to spare." Turning towards the stairs, "Rikki! Get a move on, Ginny's here." "Be right there, Mom. Hey, Ginny." "Hey, Rik. Reservations are for 6." "Almost ready." Rikki hit the bottom of the stairs wearing the black suit and gold turtleneck she wore to the State Soccer Tournament. Twirling, both Ginny and Jessica clapped and wolf-whistled, "Hot stuff...babalicious...head turner!" Rikki blushed, "Thank you...thank you." Ginny walked up and cradled Rikki's face in her hands. She kissed Rikki's forehead, both eyes, nose, and lips, "You are very beautiful. Ready to go?" "Sure. Are you ready to give up the secret of where we're going?" "Not yet." She went over to Jessica, whispered in her ear, and handed her a piece of paper. "That's fine, Ginny." Turning to Rikki, "Have fun tonight, Darling. Remember you have a midnight curfew." Frustrated, "Mom...Ginny?!" Ginny cradled Rikki's face again, "Trust me." Rikki sighed, "Ok. We probably need to go if we have 6:00 reservations." "That's my girl. Smile." Rikki looked up and smiled. A smile that lit up the world, not just the room. Rikki picked up her purse in one hand, Ginny's hand with the other, and headed towards the car. She paused to hug and kiss her mom, "Thanks for letting us go, Mom. `Nite." "You're very welcome." Ginny opened the car door and handed Rikki in. She got in the driver's side and the two new lovers set off on their first adventure. Ginny headed towards the part of the city called Old Town. There were very few modern buildings and owners tended to remodel rather than tear down and replace. "I've never been in this part of town before." "This is the place to be for good food." "How did you find the place we're going to?" "Mom and dad took me to Maggiano's one night when they were both home. I come back because its one of the last things we did together before they were deployed." They pulled up beside a nondescript building with a simple sign in the window. Ginny opened the car door for Rikki and they walked up to the front door hand-in-hand. An older woman stood with her back to a podium. Ginny smiled and held out her arms, "Buonasera, la Nonna. Come Stai?" (Good evening, Grandmother. How are you?) The woman whirled around and threw up her hands, "Signorina Browning! Sto molto bene. Grazie. Il pranzo?" (Miss Browning! Very well. Thank you. Dinner?) She came around to hug Ginny and then hold her at arms length as if inspecting her. "Si, e un film sentimentale." (Yes, and a romantic film.) "Ah, si, si," and beckoned them to follow. She seated them at a table for two near the window and called over a waiter. He wasn't dressed in a uniform, just a white shirt and black slacks. The strings on his two-pocket apron wrapped around and tied in the front. A white towel was tucked in his belt. Ginny whispered to Rikki, "She's telling him that we are special guests and to take very good care of us." Turning to the woman, "Signora Maggiano, ti posso presentare Rikki Laveque." (Mrs. Maggiano, may I present Rikki Laveque.) "Benvenuta a Maggiano's, Signorina Laveque. Piacere." Ginny turned to Rikki, "She said, `Welcome to Maggiano's, Miss Laveque. Nice to meet you.'" Rikki replied, "Thank you, Mrs. Maggiano." (Mille grazie, Senora Maggiano.). Ginny and Mrs. Maggiano continued to converse until the waiter returned with two glasses of water. Ginny asked Rikki, "Trust me?" "Sure." Ginny turned to the waiter, "Vorrei degli gamberetti come antipasto. Vorrei una salmone per secondo. Una crostata di fragola per desert e il the." (Shrimp to start. Salmon for the main course. Strawberry tart for desert and tea.) Mrs. Maggiano turned with a cheery, "Buon appetito!" (Enjoy the meal.) Ginny and Rikki held hands across the table and chatted while they waited for the appetizer. Exam results, the latest word from her parents... "Did you tell them about the baby?" "Yes. They weren't happy about it, but they understand why I want to keep the baby. They're going to make sure the hospitalization paperwork is in place and apply for leave for when the baby is due. I gave them Dr. Short's and Sarah's Mom's phone numbers." The waiter set a platter of shrimp and two glasses of tea on the table between them. "How are they otherwise?" "Mom is relatively safe because the Predator is remotely operated and she's well behind the lines. Dad's had a few bad patrols but he's stationed south of Baghdad and out of the worst of it." Rikki and Ginny took turns feeding each other the shrimp and occasionally leaning across the table to kiss. "Have you talked to the father?" "He's not happy either, but he wants to remain involved. I told him I would get back to him. I want to get a referral from Sarah's dad and get some help working out a custody and support arrangement. What do you think your mom wants to talk about?" "About us. She probably wants to be sure I'm not in over my head." The waiter brought their salmon out, "Buon appetito!" Ginny reached out and grasped both of Rikki's hands, "I promise you that nothing will happen that you are uncomfortable with. And I will say the same thing to your mom. You set the pace." Rikki squeezed Ginny's hands, "I promise to be as honest with you as I can." They dug into the salmon and fettuccine alfredo. Rikki was amazed how good it was. "Are you ready to tell me what movie we're going to see?" "Not yet. The theatre is just around the corner and we have time." The waiter kept their water and tea glasses filled and took away dishes as they were emptied. He wasn't obtrusive; he just made sure they were well taken care of. Rikki and Ginny continued to kiss across the table, sometimes the back of the hand, sometimes the lips. Rikki harrumphed and changed the subject, "So, how did you learn Italian?" "Mom and dad were stationed near Rome for awhile and I learned the basics there. When I started coming to Maggiano's regularly, the Senora kind of adopted me. She could tell when I was up and when I'd had a bad day. She started teaching me about the various foods as a way of distracting me. I'm not fluent, but I can make myself understood in most cases." "If I teach you French, will you teach me Italian?" "Sure, no problem." The waiter brought their strawberry tarts out. Each had a scoop of French Vanilla ice cream beside it. A few minutes later, when the tarts were finished, Ginny called the waiter over, "Molto bene. Posso avere il conto, per favore?" (Very good. Could I have the bill, please?) The waiter beamed and indicated that the bill had already been paid. He picked up the rest of the dishes. "What did he say?" "That the bill and the gratuity had been taken care of. Its Senora Maggiano's way of saying, she approves of you. Ready to go?" "Yes. How do you say `good night'?" "Buonanotte." On the way out, Rikki and Ginny passed by the podium where Senora Maggiano was looking at the reservation book. Rikki got her attention by resting her hand on the podium, "Buonanotte, Senora Maggiano. Mille grazie." (Good night, Mrs. Maggiano. Thank you.) Senora Maggiano smiled, "Buonanotte, Senorina Laveque. Stai attento." (Good night, Miss Laveque. Take care.) Rather than head for the car, Ginny tucked Rikki's hand under her arm and started down the sidewalk. Rikki was confused, "Aren't we taking the car?" "Don't need to. Like I said, the theatre is just around the corner and Senora Maggiano said they would watch the car for us. Are you ready for the next part of our adventure?" "You bet. May I buy the popcorn? Mom didn't know if we were going Dutch, so she made sure I had some money with me just in case." Ginny drew Rikki's chin up and kissed her. "If it would please you to buy the popcorn, then it pleases me. Since I asked you out, generally I pay, but we are a partnership after all." When the two lovers rounded the corner, they saw one of the few remaining single-screen theatres in the city. The marquee advertised the film that was showing. Rikki pulled her hand free and clapped, "Wimbledon! I've wanted to see it. Thanks, Ginny." "I know. Your mom told me. I like Reese Witherspoon, so I wanted to see it too." Ginny bought the tickets. Rikki bought the popcorn and sodas. They found seats in the balcony and looked over the concert schedule they picked up in the lobby. When the lights came down and the previews started, Ginny took Rikki's hand in hers and rested them on Rikki's leg. They would lean over and whisper about something during the movie or kiss gently. Occasionally, Ginny would run her fingernails up and down the inside of Rikki's leg. They laughed, cried, ooooh'd, aaaah'd, and clapped throughout the movie. When it was over, Rikki and Ginny stood up and stretched hugely. They visited the `Little Queen's Room' on the way out and headed for the car. Chatting about various scenes, Ginny handed Rikki into the car and they started for home. They talked about `Wimbledon' and other movies they'd seen recently. Time flew by. It seemed only a minute before they pulled up beside Rikki's house. Ginny kissed Rikki, briefly swapping tongues, "Did you have a good time, AngelFace?" "Oh my God, yes. What a way to celebrate the end of finals! Thank you for inviting me." Rikki kissed Ginny, trying to suck her tonsils out in the process. "You're very welcome, Love. Tell your mom I'll be by about 10 tomorrow." "Ok." As Rikki came around the car, she leaned in to give Ginny a peck on the cheek, and ran inside. Ginny started the car and started for home. Rikki found her mom in the living room. She was sitting on the couch in her robe, reading. Rikki launched herself into Jessica's lap, hugging and kissing her, "Oh, Mom. What a great night!" Jessica smiled, "I take it you had a good time?" Emphatically, "Yes!" "Where did you go?" Rikki gave Jessica a `You know precisely where we went' look, "Maggiano's in Old Town. Ginny knows the owner. She even ordered in Italian." Jessica ignored the look, "What did you have?" "Shrimp for an appetizer. Salmon and pasta for the entrée and strawberry tart with ice cream for desert. We took turns feeding each other the shrimp. The salmon was extraordinary." "What movie did you see?" Rikki gave her that look again and Jessica ignored it again. "Wimbledon." "That's good. I know you wanted to see it. How was it?" "Excellent. They actually looked like they knew how to play tennis." Jessica kissed Rikki on the nose, "I'm glad you had a good time. What time is Ginny coming over tomorrow?" "She said she'd be here about 10." "That's fine. Why don't you run up to bed and I'll come up and tuck you in." Rikki kissed Jessica again and jumped up, " `Nite, Mom." Rikki must have been more tired than she thought. When Jessica checked on Rikki, she was already asleep. Jessica pulled up her covers and kissed her on the cheek. Ginny knocked on Rikki's door at 10. Rikki answered, "Morning, Beautiful. Had Breakfast yet?" "Morning, AngelFace. Sure did." "Come on in. Coffee, soda?" "Diet Coke?" "No problem. Mom is in the living room." Jessica stood and hugged Ginny, kissing her on the cheek, "Morning, Darling. Did you have a good time last night?" "Yes, ma'am. The company was excellent. The food and the movie were outstanding too." Rikki came in, put the Diet Coke down next to Ginny, and sat down, taking her hand. Jessica continued, "Do you know why I asked you to come over today?" "Rikki and I talked about it a little last night. Our conclusion was that you wanted to talk about us." "You are right. Please pardon me if I'm blunt, but I have some concerns." "I understand and I probably know your primary concern. I am several years older and more experienced than Rikki. Rikki is younger, has no experience with boys, and only some adolescent experimentation with girls. You want to be sure I'm not taking advantage of her." Rikki squirmed a little as Ginny and her mom talked about her as if she wasn't there. "And how do you address that concern?" "Rikki and I may be another example, like Sarah and Allison, of `love at first sight'. I have felt a connection to her since we first met. I promised her last night that we would not do anything she felt uncomfortable with. She would set the pace. I know this is a journey of discovery for both of us and I'm in no hurry." Ginny kissed the back of Rikki's hand. Rikki spoke up, "That was what she promised me last night, Mom. We've kissed, but nothing else. We've only been on one date and with someone the other times. I feel something with Ginny that I want to explore." "You're aware of what some of society thinks of gays and lesbians. Ginny, you saw first hand what happened to Sarah and Allison when they got together. Rikki, Sarah and Allison told you about some of the things their peers said about them." "Yes, I remember Sarah telling me about the time someone said something that was so vile that she was speechless for many hours." "How would you feel if someone did that to you?" "I don't know. Hopefully someone would help me find Allison or call you." "If it happens more than once..." "Mom, I survived dad. I can survive that." "The pregnancy is an additional complication. Progress has been made, but some people still don't like lesbians raising children." Ginny answered this one, "If the father is involved and there are other males around, it's just like I'm a single mom with a good friend." "If you're going to co-parent, you need to sit down, possibly with Sarah's mom, and discuss what's involved." "We can do that." "You realize that your father won't like it." "We'll deal with Father when the time comes." "Another thing you need to talk about is what you're going to do when Ginny graduates. How are you going to handle it if she goes away to school and you still have two years of high school to go?" Exasperated, Rikki spoke up, "Mom, I understand what you're saying, that the odds are against us. My eyes are open and we will take it one-step at a time. Sarah and Allison have been successful. I think we can be too." "Ok. I guess the only question I have left is `Are you lesbian or bi-sexual?'" Rikki frowned, "I don't know, Mom. Lesbian means I have no interest in boys. Bi-sexual means I have an interest in boys. I can't say either way. I'll never be able to say if I don't take a step in one direction or the other." Jessica smiled, "You have my support. It would make me feel better, though, if you would use this house as your home base for awhile. We can use the clothing-optional rules that Sarah's house uses. Ginny can sleep over whenever you want. We'll work the rest out as we go." Rikki got up and kissed Jessica, "Thanks, Mom." Ginny stood beside Rikki, "Thanks, Mrs. Laveque." top of page © 2004 Donal