Chapter 47

Later that night, once Sophia was in bed, Tasha noticed a marked deterioration in Megan’s mood. She seemed withdrawn, and their usual playful banter and looks as they prepared themselves for bed was missing. Megan even kept her shirt on as she climbed into bed. Instead of getting in bed herself, Tasha sat down on the edge of the bed near Megan and said, “Is it something that you feel comfortable talking about?”

“What?”

“Whatever is bothering you.”

“There’s noth—it’s Brad. I haven’t seen him in what… three weeks? I’m really anxious about seeing him again tomorrow.”

“What about that is making you anxious?

“I don’t really know. Maybe because he was such an asshole the last time I saw him. Maybe I’m just worried that Sophia will see him and decide that she’d rather be with him.”

“She did choose you…”

And me.

“I know, it’s irrational and stupid.”

“It’s not. It’s human nature. Hey, I just want you to know that I’m here for you.”

“Thank you, Tasha. Can you hold me?”

“Of course, my love.” Tasha lay down and Megan cuddled in. They stayed like that for a long time, until they fell asleep.

Tasha woke up around midnight with a crick in her neck and a wet spot on her shirt. She tried to extricate herself from Megan’s grasp without waking her girlfriend but failed. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry. My neck hurts and I have to pee.”

“I’m sorry, too. Was I snoring?”

“Yes, like a small bear.”

Megan wiped at her mouth. “Oh no, was I drooling?”

“Um, yeah.” Tasha giggled, “I like it better when you drool over me and not on me.”

“You know, if your shirt is wet, you should probably take it off.” Megan waggled her eyebrows.

“You’re incorrigible,” Tasha said as she stripped off the damp garment. “Okay, I really gotta pee!”

Tasha noted that Megan’s shirt was on the floor when she exited the bathroom, but all that she could see was the purplish-red mop of Megan’s hair poking out from under the sheets. Tasha slid into bed and reached for her light.

“Ta-sha… If I told you that you have nice boobs, would you hold them against me?”

If I start that, then I know exactly how I’ll finish it, so I better not, at least tonight. Brad better have those papers signed, or I’m going to beat him.

“Goodnight, Megan.”

Megan’s anxiety seemed to have ebbed by the time they woke up. Early morning yoga and a good breakfast helped. Tasha got Sophia up a bit earlier than usual. “Sophia, today I’m going to teach you how I make chili. Do you know what makes chili so special?”

“No, Mama Tasha.”

“Because every chili is different. It’s one of the most personal dishes that someone can make.”

“Why is that?”

“Because every person is different. I like mine spicy with about an even mix of meat and beans. Some people make sweet chili. Some people make all-meat chili. Some people make vegan chili. As you grow up, you’ll try different chilis and find out what you like. Then you’ll start making your own. You will tinker and adjust until your chili suits you. As you grow older and change, your chili will change, too.”

“That’s awesome, Mama Tasha! Are all foods like that?”

“Many are, but some lend themselves to individual creativity better than others. Some foods should only be done a certain way.”

Megan had clearly been eavesdropping, because her voice floated in, saying, “Like vinegar-based barbeque sauce!”

“Girl! You know that is heresy! Mustard-based is the only proper form of barbeque sauce.” Tasha’s native South Carolina accent appeared in full force. She could hear Megan’s crystal clear laughter. Megan had known her for over fourteen years and knew just what pushing that particular button would do. Sophia looked confused.

“Munchkin, your mommy likes to tease your Mama Tasha by saying horrible, nasty things. But Mama Tasha is gonna get her back by teaching you the true form of barbeque. Once you’ve tasted a true South Carolina mustard-based barbeque sauce, you’ll know that anything else is just a cheap imitation of the real thing.”

“Okay, I trust you, Mama Tasha.”

“Good girl!”

“How come you don’t measure?”

“That’s a good question, munchkin. When you are first learning to make something, a recipe can be very helpful. But when you know something deep in your bones, like I know my chili, you can just feel it.”

“Wow… Can I cook like that?”

“One day, angel, you will. You did so good with that lasagna! Practice some more and get comfortable in the kitchen. You’ll get there. Cooking is a good skill to have. I’ve had to feed myself for years and being able to cook has made that much better.”

I’m going to teach you everything, little angel, because you are family now.

Tasha smiled at Sophia and she returned it with an impish grin.

Lunch was chili over rice, with cheese and sour cream. It was delicious, and Megan promised to show Sophia how she made chili, because she liked to add cinnamon and cocoa to hers.

After lunch, it was off to roller derby. Tasha held Megan’s hand tightly as they entered, reassuring her with that solid grip. Brad was already there and waved.

“Daddy!” And with that, Sophia was off like a shot.

Megan and Tasha followed at a more leisurely pace. Tasha could feel Megan’s tension beside her. Brad looked at them and said, “Hello.”

“Hello,” they said back, each with a cold edge on her voice.

“I’m guessing that this is official now,” Brad said, glancing at their hands. Tasha could feel Megan’s spine stiffen and heard the steel in her voice. “It is.”

Brad smiled, although Tasha could see a hint of sadness there. “I’m very happy for you both. You were always perfect for each other. I’m just sorry that… Well, I’m sorry for a lot of things.”

“And you should be.”

“Megan, I have a lot to apologize for, but maybe we can just focus on Sophia for right now. I want to know all about this sport that she is so interested in.”

Megan and Tasha sat behind Brad and Sophia as she tried to explain what they were about to see. Once it started, she was locked in and so was Brad. Megan and Tasha half watched the game, half watched the two in front of them. At halftime, all the kids in the audience were invited onto the track to play with hula hoops and tricycles and to just run around and burn off energy.

Brad turned around and said, “I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. I truly am happy for you. Both of you.”

Megan was keeping quiet, so Tasha said, “Thanks, Brad.”

“I, um… I signed the papers, Megan. There’s one change, and I think that you’ll be okay with it.”

Megan responded, “What’s that?”

“I’m selling the house, and I want you to have half.”

“Why?”

“Before I answer, who the hell is your lawyer? Because my guy shit his pants when he saw her name on the documents.”

I bet he did. Maria is pure badass.

Tasha fielded this, saying, “She’s a good friend of mine, and now a friend of Megan and Sophia’s, too.”

“She must be one heckuva divorce lawyer. My guy told me that I was screwed. Then he read it and said that I was lucky to have my balls still attached.”

“Yeah, that was the bad envelope…”

“Thank you for not giving me that.”

Megan jumped in, “And say thank you to me, too. Maria only wanted one document, but I insisted on two.”

“Yes, thank you, Megan. I didn’t deserve it.” Tasha nodded vigorously in agreement.

“You deserve much better than me, and I’m glad that you found her,” Brad said. “Sophia deserves better, too. More than anything, I want to be the person that she thinks that I am.”

“That would be an improvement for sure,” Tasha commented.

“So, about the house. I got a job with a credit union, up near Seattle. Tasha, you were right about me. I’ve always had my father telling me what to do, where to go, what job to have. I’m good at what I do, or at least I think I am. Now I get to find out for sure. Maybe I’ll take cooking classes or learn how to make kombucha. Figure out who I am.”

Imagine that. Good for you Brad. Not that I’m about to say that.

Megan said, “That’s good, Brad. I’m happy for you and I wish you the best.”

“Thanks, Megan. I… thank you.”

They sat there in an awkward silence before Brad asked, “I thought there would be more… contact, I guess. Am I missing something?”

Tasha answered, “It’s the age group. The Rose Petals are the youngest skaters and they have rules that strictly limit contact. Around 12, they move up to the Rose Buds, and there’s more contact there.”

“That’s the next one, right?”

“Yes.”

“Cool! Um, Megan. I want to thank you for this, too. You could have enrolled Sophia in this without me, and I really appreciate that you included me in this... That you included me in something that has captured Sophia’s interest. I am really excited to see her skate. I mean, if you are, of course.”

“I’m excited to see her skate, too. Maybe we can both tell her together that she can try out.”

“I’d really like that, thank you. Oh, one last thing. With me selling the house and all, I packed up your clothes and stuff, and Sophia’s. It’s all in the back of my truck. I figured that you wouldn’t want to drive all that way and I was coming here anyway…”

“Thank you, Brad.”

The rest of the afternoon actually went really well. Megan and Tasha moved down during intermission so that Sophia was between her two parents. In the Buds game, the crowd went nuts when the jammer with the derby name, Harley Quinn, jumped over the apex of the track.

Tasha smiled as she watched Sophia’s glee and how that excitement spread to both Brad and Megan as they imagined their little girl doing the same thing one day.

After they unloaded Brad’s truck, Tasha surprised herself by suggesting that they all go out for dinner. It was much more pleasant than she would have thought possible at the start of the day. Sophia went to bed early, as she was exhausted by the day’s excitement.

Tasha slipped into bed and prepared to turn off the light once Megan joined her.

Where did she go anyway?

Then the closet door opened and Megan emerged wearing something lacy and gauzy and delectably sinful.

“Tasha…” Megan purred seductively. “Brad signed the papers…”