Hidden Desires (66 page)

"I suppose she's okay. You're father seems to like her."

"Well, I like her, and that's what matters. So it's alright now? You're alright?"

"Yes. I was just upset. I thought you were leaving again. I like you being here. Fred likes you being here."

"I can't promise that I'll never move out ma, I think this thing with Cayden is serious, really serious, but I'm not rushing it. I'll still be here for a while."

Harriet's eyebrows shot up. "How serious?"

"Very." Brooke admitted with a nervous smile.

"Honey, you just left a relationship, I hope you know what you're doing."

"Oh, this is no rebound. Trust me." Brooke assured.

"So, she's the one? Hmm. You could do a lot worse. In fact, you did. Tell her she can come in here now, I want to talk to her."

Brooke panicked. "Promise me not to say anything about it being serious! I don't want to scare her away!"

"She's so skittish?"

"Well, not exactly, but promise me mother."

"Oh alright." Harriet frowned. "I promise."

"Good, I'll go get her."

 
*  *  *

Cayden concentrated on the beer Bert gave her like it was the most important thing on earth, all the while trying to come up with something to say. As it was, Mr. Hewitt was just standing there, looking at her, waiting. The tall woman's brain scrambled for something inane to bring up, but she was on the spot and nervous.

Bert eyed the tall brunette as she guzzled the beer. Surely she wasn't
that
thirsty, and he didn't fancy her a drinker. He pursed his lips as he thought how awkward she must feel, after all, Harriet wasn't an easy pill to swallow. Just the very idea of Harriet's mother knowing he had sex with her made him queasy... he could only imagine how Cayden felt. He looked her up and down, and tried to make eye contact to no avail. Cayden was attractive, with great physical attributes, he could see what Brooke saw in her, but she wasn't much of a talker. Not like Grant, who could talk an ear off.... whether you wanted him to or not. Bert grinned, he kinda liked that Cayden was the quiet type, but he also wanted to know more about her. She was, after all, Brooke's idea of sliced bread.

Cayden finished the bottle of beer and began picking at the label. Bert was staring at her, taking stock, and she felt like she was under a microscope. While she wanted to pass inspection, she wanted to get the hell out of there as soon as she could. She wondered if Brooke and her mom were finished, there wasn't any yelling, and she had no indication as to what was going on. She looked down at Fred, who suddenly appeared and was extremely grateful for the old dog. "So," she started, squatting down to the floor, "How've you been Fred?"

The small dog cocked his head to the side and whimpered. Cayden scooped him up and stood, holding his nose up to her face, happy she had something to concentrate on.

"He's old, but he's doing well." Bert answered for Fred.

"Actually, Sir, these teeny dogs have a long life span."

"Please, call me Bert. I really didn't want a dog, but Brooke drove us crazy. Would you believe she tried to convince us that a Great Dane doesn't take up much space?" Bert chuckled.

"I like the big dogs too, but be realistic, this is a New York apartment. I think Fred fits in just fine."

"Yeah, Harriet and I went looking for dogs, for weeks we searched. One day, Brooke comes waltzing in here with what we first thought was a rat. Turned out to be old Fred. She was so in love with him, how could we say no? She's determined when she wants her way."

"You're telling me?" Cayden blurted without thinking, placing Fred down.

Mr. Hewitt nodded sympathetically, he knew what Brooke put Cayden through. "She certainly got what she was after with you. I see, though, the feeling is mutual." His eyes suddenly turned serious. "Isn't it?"

Cayden swallowed hard. "Oh, yes, yes sir... Bert." The tall woman made a funny face as the beer rumbled around in her belly. Brooke walked into the room and Cayden felt a sense of relief. The blonde walked right up to her and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Hey grumpy, mom wants to interrogate you." Cayden's eyes widened. "Oh, don't worry, I'll be right there and Daddy will protect you." Brooke glared at her father who agreed with a nod. She wrapped her other arm around the brunette and squeezed eliciting a huge belch from the tall woman. Brooke backed up and stared at Cayden, her mouth agape.

"Oh my!" Harriet exclaimed. "Bert! Excuse yourself!" She scurried into the kitchen wagging her finger.

Cayden held up the empty beer bottle, red faced and apologetic. "Heh, that was me." she admitted.

"Well, then, what do you say Cayden?" Harriet stood, tapping her foot.

"Er, excuse me." Cayden grabbed Brooke and pulled her so she stood in front of her.

Shaking her head, the blonde took the empty bottle and put it on the counter. "God, Cayden, that was gross."

The tall woman shrugged and didn't see the gross factor. Brooke stood and watched her barf for an hour and a burp was gross?
Women. I could have farted.

Harriet patted Cayden on the arm and smiled. "You're excused. Let's go into the living room and have a nice little chat, shall we?"

Bert rolled his eyes. "Harriet, it's late."

"Nonsense, this will only take a minute."

Brooke twisted up her face as her mother left the room. "Just tell her what she wants to hear and we're home free."

"Can't we just run into your room and pretend to fall asleep?"

"Cayden, if I get you into my room, there will be no sleeping happening in there."

Bert cleared his throat. "I'll just be..." he scurried out quickly.

Brooke leaned into Cayden and smiled seductively. "Kiss me."

Cayden looked around nervously.

"Okay nervous Nelly, then make it quick." Brooke stood on her tip toes and pursed her lips.

Cayden did as she was told and to her surprise, Brooke almost pulled her down to the floor. The kiss was intense and Cayden soon lost all her bearings. She reached down and lifted Brooke onto the counter, pulling her as close as she could. The blonde groaned and wrapped her legs around the tall woman, Cayden was making her crazy all over again. Their tongues fought and tangled in each others mouth, they panted loudly between passionate kisses, totally forgetting where they were.

"Goodness!" Harriet gasped as she stepped into the kitchen. "Brooke! You'd think you could control yourself for just one minute!"

"Mom! can't I just get a moment?" Brooke leapt down from the counter.

Cayden refused to turn around. She blamed herself for the little indiscretion and was too embarrassed.

Bert ambled in, hopefully giving the girls ample time to disengage. "What's the shouting about?"

"They were practically doing it right on the counter!"

"We were just kissing daddy, don't listen to her."

Bert waved it away as if it were nothing, knowing full well he'd have had a whole other reaction had he caught them in the act. "Honey, try and keep it in your room, your mother seems to have forgotten what new love feels like."

Harriet was shocked. "I did not! It was just that.. I didn't expect it, that's all. I mean, right here in the kitchen, where I cook!"

"So, you'd feel better if we went into my room?" Brooke asked with a cheeky smile.

"Yes, I mean NO! Don't go in there... I mean, well... Bert, do you see how she's being fresh?" Harriet pouted.

Bert pointed his finger at Brooke as a way of reprimand.

Oh yeah, that'll teach her.
Cayden thought, beginning to like Bert more and more.

Harriet turned to Cayden. "Now, come inside and sit down, would you like some tea?"

"No thanks." Cayden replied, following Brooke into the living room.

Mrs. Hewitt sat on the couch and patted the spot next to her. Cayden, reluctant to let go of Brooke's hand, dragged the blonde with her. It was a Cayden sandwich with a Hewitt on each end.

Bert sat in his usual chair, twining his fingers together and placing them slowly in his lap. He knew Cayden was uncomfortable, and truth be told, he had no idea what Harriet planned to say. He was as nervous as Cayden.

"So, I know that you two are a couple, lovers right?"

"Yes, ma." Brooke answered, rolling her eyes and squeezing Cayden's hand.

"Cayden, you don't mind that Brooke never had a relationship with a woman before?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" Brooke asked.

"Hush up, I'm talking to Cayden. I watch Maury and I know all about these things. Brooke, you can be quite pushy when you want something. Like they said on the television, you newbies tend to fall in love with your first partner and I want to make sure Cayden is prepared for that."

Six eyes stared, and three jaws dropped at Harriet's rather observant statement.

Brooke glanced at Cayden and saw the brunette lick her lips nervously. The blonde became nervous too, could it be that Cayden wasn't prepared? What would she do if Cayden dismissed her?

"Well," The tall woman began quietly, totally flustered at being the center of attention. "I am well aware that Brooke has no experience with women, and in the beginning, I did fear getting involved because of the very same reason you brought up. I avoided it at all costs." Cayden looked at Brooke, who seemed to have shrunk into the couch. Puzzled, she continued. "But I couldn't fight the attraction. I like Brooke, an awful lot. Denying it was stupid. As for her being pushy, I'm really glad she is."

The blonde sighed in relief and kissed Cayden on the cheek. Cayden blushed and squirmed.

"I see." Harriet looked deep in thought.

Bert smiled at the tall woman. He knew it must have taken some effort on her part to confess that to Brooke's mother. Poor Cayden didn't know when she dates Brooke, she dates Harriet.

"See? I told you I know the way lesbians work, pretty soon you'll be living together and wearing each others clothes."

"Ma, I told you, we have no intentions of rushing into anything! If we do live together it will be in the future and not any time soon." Brooke imagined Cayden in her clothes and giggled.

"Are you going to get cats? I don't like cats very much at all, and I know lesbians like cats." Mrs. Hewitt said with a shake of her head.

Cayden and Brooke looked at each other and shrugged.

The brunette started to reply. "I don't actually know..."

Bert interrupted, "Harriet, for shoot sakes, they're only dating a week! Give the girls a break, how the heck should they know?"

"Well... I don't like cats."

"Point taken." Brooke said with a smile.

Cayden grinned to herself.
We MUST get plenty of cats.

"Can we go now?" Brooke asked.

"I suppose." Harriet said with a sigh. "One more thing, Cayden, I know she's all grown up, but she's always going to be my little girl. Promise me you'll be good to her."

"Yes, ma'am." Cayden breathed a sigh of relief, that wasn't anywhere as bad as she had imagined. She stood up, and pulled Brooke out of the couch by her hand. Her eyebrow lifted at the look on the blonde's face.