Part 24 (2/2)

Chapter Nineteen.

”I really appreciate the invite,” Chris said as she sat down on the couch in Sam and Beth's place. ”It's pretty lonely at the house, especially when Matt's gone. I could use the time to study but I just can't seem to concentrate lately.”

Beth sat down beside her. ”Because of your argument with Lynn?”

Chris nodded. ”I should have known that you would know about it.”

”I told her that she should've told you sooner,” Sam said.

”I feel like there's a whole part of her that I don't even know.”

”You should be thankful,” Beth commented.

Chris looked at her with confusion. ”What?”

Beth clarified her statement. ”You don't really want to know that side of her.” Still seeing confusion in Chris's eyes, she explained further. ”Lynn Gregory, aeInvestment a.n.a.lyst,' is a cold, manipulative b.i.t.c.h!”

”Beth!” Sam admonished.

”I'm sorry. I'm just telling her like it is!” Beth continued, ”We've seen her in action. She's a completely different person than the Lynn Gregory that we've come to know.”

Sam nodded in agreement. ”She's a totally different person. That's why she had to walk away from it. She didn't like who she had become.”

Beth continued, ”When she's in that business mode, I just back away.”

All three heads turned to the sound of a knock on the door. Taking a deep breath, Sam looked at Beth, rose, and walked to the entryway. Sam swung open the door and stepped aside to let Lynn pa.s.s by Lynn stopped dead in her tracks as she saw Chris sitting on the couch. ”What's she doing here?”

”Me? What are you doing here?” Chris exclaimed.

Sam looked at Lynn, then at Chris. ”I think you two need to talk this thing out.”

”Hey, I wanted to talk,” Chris said sarcastically. ”But obviously all she wanted to do is get in my pants!”

Lynn gave Sam a look that could kill. ”f.u.c.k you Sam!”

”Oh, I guess she wants to f.u.c.k you now, too!” Chris snapped.

”I didn't want to f.u.c.k you, Chris. I wanted to make love to you. I know it's a new concept for me, but for the first time in over a year, I felt like I wanted to make love to someone!” Lynn shouted.

”See”*Sam put her hand on Lynn's shoulder*”at least she helped you to feel again, Lynn.”

”Oh yes, and it did wonders!” Lynn flung her arms in the air. ”It made me leave my home, my restaurant, and now my friends. Wow, doesn't that sound familiar. You would think I would've learned the first time!” Lynn turned to leave.

Chris was irritated. ”Oh, now it's my fault. This never would've happened if you wouldn't have played your little game*”

”Game?” Lynn interrupted. ”The only thing that I did was to let you get to know the good side of me. I was honest with you otherwise. I told you that I had feelings for you and what did you do? You snuggled a little bit closer, you whispered in my ear* talk about a game! Who played who here?”

”Chris, talk to her.” Beth nudged her.

”Yes, Chris, talk to me.” Lynn took a step toward her. ”What do you have to say? That you've decided that you're a lesbian? That you want to be my lover?” Lynn said sarcastically.

Chris just lowered her eyes, not knowing how to respond.

”Yeah, that's what I thought. I didn't think that you had made that decision.” Lynn turned around and headed toward the door. ”I'm out of here!”

Sam stepped in front of the door, blocking Lynn's way.

”Sam, don't mess with me,” Lynn said sternly.

Sam stood strong. ”There's nothing you can do or say that's going to make me move.”

”Really?” Lynn looked Sam straight in the eye. ”I hold the mortgage on your house.”

Sam's face turned white. Lynn b.u.mped the woman's shoulder with her own as she walked past and out the door. Sam didn't try to stop her.

Sam heard the door slam behind her. Lynn could be a real b.i.t.c.h sometimes, but she had never seen her act out as she just had.

She turned to meet Beth's eyes. ”Did you have any idea?”

Beth shook her head. ”I knew that she was having a hard time getting financing for us, but*”

Sam walked over and slowly lowered herself onto the couch. Beth joined her and put her arm around her partner's shoulder.

”So, now that the shoe is on the other foot, you might understand what I'm going through,” Chris stated.

Just then the phone rang. Neither Sam nor Beth budged. The answering machine clicked on; the voice on the other end of the line was familiar.

”G.o.d, you guys, I am so sorry!” Lynn apologized. ”I really embarra.s.sed myself back there. I'm afraid that this whole situation has taken a real toll on me. I know that's no reason to take it out on you, I'm really sorry. Please forgive me.” After a moment of'silence, the voice continued shakily, ”And Chris, honey, if you're listening, I don't want to end our relations.h.i.+p with angry words between us. Look, what I should have said is that I love you. I'm head over heels for you. I thought you felt the same way and your words really hurt me. You've got to understand that I can't just be friends with you now. It just hurts too much. I really just need to stay away from you. G.o.d, please don't hate me* bye.”

Beth softy smiled at Sam. ”Really, she was just trying to help us out.”

Sam shrugged, stood, and wandered out of the room. Beth moved over to sit beside Chris.

”You believe her, don't you? You don't really think this was a game to her?”

Chris stared out into s.p.a.ce. ”I don't know what I think anymore.” Pausing, she lowered her eyes. ”Why did this have to happen? I was content with the way things were.”

”Were you, really? You didn't want any more out of your relations.h.i.+p with her?”

”Beth, I'm not a lesbian,” Chris stated, although she was unsure that was true.

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