Part 4 (1/2)

They both looked over at Lynn, waiting for her story.

”Well?” Matt asked.

”Well what? I'm not part of this game!” Lynn answered.

”Oh, so now you're not part of this game. You can't just put your two cents on one subject and not another!” Matt quipped.

”So, no football captain in your past, huh?” Chris smiled.

”Uh-uh.” Lynn shook her head, then smiled. ”Cheerleader.”

”Behind the bleachers?” Matt kidded.

”No, up at summer camp. We were both camp counselors. Funny what you can accomplish in one of those little rowboats in the middle of the lake on a hot summer night!” Lynn smiled, remembering fondly. ”And oh, what a pair of pom-poms she had!”

”Ohhh!” the other two both moaned, throwing their napkins in her direction.

”Well, that's enough openness for me for one night,” Lynn said as she examined her watch. She stood and stretched. ”I'll clean up the dishes. You guys can keep playing.”

”What time is it?” Chris inquired.

”Past ten. Early cla.s.s tomorrow?” Lynn asked.

”I never schedule my cla.s.ses very early. I'm not exactly a morning person,” Chris replied. She scooted back from the table. ”But it is getting pretty late. I'll help you with the dishes and then I'd better be on my way.”

”Yeah, I'm pretty tired myself,” Matt said and started cleaning up the game.

”There's really not many dishes. Don't feel like you need to stay and help,” Lynn said as she gathered the various dishes around the kitchen and stacked them at the side of the sink.

”Well then, two should make it go faster, huh?” Chris replied as she turned on the water, picked up the first dish, and proceeded to rinse it. The problem was, Chris thought to herself, that she really didn't want to go home.

Lynn opened the dishwasher and slid each dish in as Chris handed them to her. Within minutes, the kitchen was clean.

”See? So much quicker with two!” Chris remarked, then realizing that it was time for her to leave, felt a loneliness overcome her. She stood there, drying her hands over and over again.

”Yeah. Usually Matt helps though. Where'd he go?” Lynn said as she walked over to the gla.s.s door. Looking out, she watched as Matt leaned against the railing, staring out into the darkness. Chris joined Lynn at the gla.s.s to see what she was observing.

Lynn put her arm around Chris's shoulder, giving Chris a s.h.i.+ver down her spine, and softly spoke. ”I'm really worried about him. He's really taking this whole thing much too seriously. I wish that I could be there every minute his parents are here, but I can't.”

”That's what he's got me for, Lynn. I know that I'm a complete stranger, but please know that I understand this isn't a game, and I'll do my best.”

”I believe you will,” Lynn said as she squeezed Chris's shoulder, then released her arm. ”Thanks again for doing this.”

Chris unlocked the door to her apartment and set her backpack on the couch. She listened to the silence. Realizing how empty it made her feel, she flipped on the television and plopped down on the couch. She had never minded being alone before. How could things change so quickly? She had only known these people for two days, really less than two days. Maybe it was just that she hadn't let anyone in for so long.

During her youth, she wasn't allowed the luxury of close friends. She always knew that in a short time her family would be transferred to yet another location. Chris had learned quickly to keep people at arm's length. This avoided any heartbreak when she would be pulled away to start over again. Now she had friends, well, not close friends, but friends that she did things with. But she couldn't think of any she wanted around all the time.

Chris stretched out on the sofa and buried her face in the pillow. She felt so comfortable with Matt and Lynn. Well, she had felt comfortable with Matt. Lynn made her feel comfortable and uneasy at the same time. She thought back to how she froze when she had been alone with Lynn before dinner, and the contentment that she felt later, when Lynn had her arm around her shoulder. Warm and content. Still feeling these sensations, Chris drifted off to sleep.

Chapter Four.

Chris walked down the wine aisle in the grocery store. Matt had requested that she bring wine this evening, her donation to the meal that he was preparing. However, she had forgotten to ask what they were having, and therefore found herself staring at the wide array of selections.

”Red, I believe, goes with Italian food.”

Chris turned to find Lynn next to her, with a shopping basket containing various salad items.

”I wasn't sure if he told you what he was cooking,” Lynn added.

”No, he didn't,” Chris answered. ”How much wine do we need?”

”He's a good cook, so you don't need to be soused to eat it, if that's what you're asking.” Lynn chuckled.

”Well, I was trying to be polite, but that is what I was getting at.” Chris smiled.

”Don't get more than one bottle. First of all because I can't drink too much before I play tonight, and second, if Matt drinks too much you may find out more than you really need, or want, to know.”

”You have to play tonight? As in, aeplaying around'?” Chris asked with a mischievous smile.

”See, now Matt gave you the wrong idea about me! I'm not a nympho or anything!” Lynn explained, ”I play at the Rainbow Room, it's a gay bar.” Realizing this didn't sound any better, she added, ”I mean I sing. Well, I play guitar and the keyboard too, but I basically sing.”

”You see, I learn something new every day. I didn't even know there was a gay bar around here!”

”Yeah, well, we don't really advertise, we don't want to attract the riffraff.”

”Do people just sit and listen, or is there a dance floor?”

”You ever try to keep a gay man from dancing?” Lynn chuckled.

”So* you must sing Broadway songs, huh?” Chris laughed.

”No, no Broadway tunes, that's how we keep most of the gay men out.” Lynn laughed at the stereotype and wondered if Chris really believed it. ”There are a few gay men that come in, like Matt, but it's basically known as a lesbian bar.”

There was a moment of silence, Lynn guessed because she had said the word ”lesbian,” so she broke the uncomfortable pause. ”So wine, salad, bread, and Matt's manicotti, sounds like a feast, huh?”

”Well, what are we having for the most important part of the meal?” Chris asked. Lynn looked at her quizzically.

”Dessert,” Chris answered. ”The most important part of the meal is dessert!”

”Oh G.o.d, a woman after my own heart. Bless you!” Lynn smiled. ”Well, Matt doesn't really eat sweets, thinks they're bad for you or something.” Lynn rolled her eyes and continued, ”But I, on the other hand, think that they should have their own place in the food groups. How about ice cream?”

”You won't have to twist my arm! What flavor?”

”Let's go look,” Lynn said. Finding the freezer aisle, they stood gazing at all of the cartons.

”What do you think?” Lynn asked. ”Do you want a one-mile-run ice cream or a five-mile-run ice cream?”