Chapter Seven

Jessica sat across from Stacie in the resturant. "Looks like you had a rough night." she said smiling.

Stacie hung her head lower."You have no idea. I didn't get home until after one. We worked on the rescue for over 2 hours. Jackie didn't leave until something till three."

A smile played across Jessica's lips. Stacie pretend not to notice by rubbing her eyes. She was too tired to discuss relationship matters this early in the morning. But she knew it was coming.

"Well, what happened between you two. I know something happened." she stared her down, her eyes pentrating her soul, getting an answer even if Stacie wouldn't give her one.

"Must we talk about this now?"

"Yes."

"Ugh. If you must know, she kissed me and we are now going out."

Jessica gasped, it sounded like air escaping from a ballon. A elderly couple looked at us in distaste and went back to eating their meal. "This is wonderful! I am so happy for you."

Stacie yawned,"I still remember when you said she wasn't gay."she laughed, but Jessica didn't.

"Ok, so I was wrong." she said placing her coffee cup on the table and straightening her napkin."It happens to the best of us."

"You're mad because you were wrong, aren't you?"

"No, I'm not mad."

Stacie decided to drop the topic right there. If she wasn't tired, she would have kept it going until Jessica finally admitted to being mad, because in reality she was. She just didn't want to upset Stacie on such a good occasion. She went back to resting her head on her hand and trying not to fall asleep at the table. Her practice was interrupted by Jessica's probing questions.

"So, do you two have anything planned?"

Stacie lifted her head,"We've only been going out for a day Jess. She was so tired when she left, she never really said anything more than 'bye babe."

"Oh. Well I was just asking."

"Well,"Stacie began,"She said she would call me this afternoon. So she might bring up plans for something."

"Yeah, that's true."

Stacie looked down at her watch. It was only 8:00. If she left now, she could go home and get a few more hours of sleep and still have time to do some evening chores. She stood up from the table,"Jess, I better be going. If I don't I'm going to fall asleep at the table. I need to do some things this evening too."

"Ok, I guess we will talk later then."

"Yeppers." Stacie said leaving her share of the tip on the table. She paid her bill and headed out to her car. The sun shone brightly as she stepped into her car and turn on the a/c. It felt like it was already around 75 degrees. When she turned into her driveway and walked up to her house not more than 15 minutes later, it felt like it was 85 degrees. She fed the cat and settled back into bed for much needed rest.

She could hear the phone ringing, but had no interest to answer it. Phones and sleep didn't mix according to her. She often considered her phone a nusicance because she was always and only disturbed after a late night call. The repeating shrill sounding ring finally provoked her to answer it. She felt around without opening her eyes. She found it and picked it up."Hello?" she said groggily.

Nothing came over the other end. She was about ready to hang up when she heard, "Stace, hope I am not disturbing you."

"Jackie, not at all." she rolled over in bed forcing her eyes to open. She didn't want to fall asleep on the phone with her.

"You sound like you are tired."

"I am, you woke me up actually."

"I'm sorry babe, I can let you go."

"No, I have to get up and do a few things anyway."

"Are you sure you don't wanna go?"

"Hon, I'm fine."

They say silent for a few minutes."What are you doing tonight?"

"As far as I know nothing."

"Do you want to go out to dinner?"

"That would be awesome."

She could hear the gladness in Jackie's voice. Stacie's cat jumped on her."Meow."

"Later, I'm on the phone."

"Huh?" Jackie asked astonished.

"My cat, she wants something to eat again."

"Ok, well I guess I will let you go. I will be there to pick you up around seven. Dinner at 8:00 at Imations sound fine?"

"That's perfect."

"Love ya, bye."

"Yeah, bye."

Stacie rushed around doing a few chores to keep the place looking nice and tidy. She couldn't stand going more than a week without doing a few touch ups here and there. She gathered her dirty clothes and put them in the washer, and began looking for something nice to wear tonight. She found a sexy light blue dress and the shoes to match and laid them out. She didn't know why she was going through so much trouble to look nice for Jackie. She has never done this before. In all of her years that she's know her, she's never tried to impress her, but now, she felt she had too.

She saunted into the kitchen getting rid of the trash and replacing it with a new bag. The cat sat on the floor watching her. She turned and looked at her."Enjoy watching me?"

The cat looked at her,"Meow."

"Well then." she said going off about her business. The dyer buzzed and Stacie went grabbing the warm clothes and placing them in a basket where she would fold and put them away later. She saw the cat watching her again,she walked into her room putting the clothes basket on the floor."Don't get any idea's." she said pointing a long slender finger in her direction.

She was in the middle of getting dressed when the phone rang. She was going to leave it alone, but she felt that it could possibly be important."Hello."

"Stace, how are you darling?."

"Mother HI." she said hopping she wouldn't catch the madness in her voice.

"I just thought I would call, we havn't talked in awhile."

Stacie sighed, "I know, I"ve been busy, you know that."

It was Lisa's turn to sigh."Well I don't think your job keeps you that busy, there is just no way.."

"Mom, I work almost all the time. Everyday. There isn't a lot of time where I'm not working."

"I don't know why you took that job anyway.It seems so time comsuming."her mother droaned on and on.

"Mother I have to be going. I am going out."

She huffed,"Fine, but I will call you again later."

Her mother began mumbling something about girls that Stacie couldn't make out. She didn't want to understand because she was sure she would find out when she called her again tomorrow. She said bye quickly and hung up, not wanting anything else to start. She had enough on her mind without her mother calling her about this and that. She always found the worst times to call her and bring up things. She had just gotten finished when Jackie showed up at her door. She grabbed her keys and left.

Jackie sat across from Stacie in the best private booth they could get. Stacie could feel her eyes on her. She looked up."What's wrong, you havn't been talking much, and usually you do."

"Just some things, stuff that you wouldn't be interested in."

Her hand came across the table settling on top of hers."Nonsense. We are dating, I care, you should know that."

Stacie could feel the caring in her lover's voice."Well, my mother called me before you came to pick me up."

"Oh, so the conversation wasn't something you were pleased with?"

"However did you guess."Stacie asked sarcasticlly.

"Well, what happened?"

"Well, she just called and started talking to me. But that got me thinking."

"Is that all?"

"Yeah, that's basically it."

"Well, I'm guessing you didn't tell her about us?"

"No, I didn't. That's what I'm thinking about. I know mom wasn't to keen about this when I told her I was interested in girls in the first place. But when she finds out I'm dating you, that could be trouble, I mean since she's known you all this time." Stacie allowed herself to trail off.

"I don't know what to tell you. I might be able to get Chip to talk to her if you tell her."

"Well I have to get the courage up to talk to her. She'll find out sooner or later."

"Yeah, but don't you think sooner would be better? If you lie and she finds out later, she might be more angry."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"When do you want to talk to her?"

"I don't know. I'll see what she says when she calls me again tomorrow. She said she would and I have a good idea what she wants to talk about."

"Well then."Jackie said trailing off. The waiter came and placed their food onto the table, and refilled their drinks. They sat and talked about everything and everyone that crossed their minds. When they ran out of things to talk about, Jackie called the waiter over for the check. They left a tip, paid the bill and left the resturant heading for home.