A Baumgartner Reunion Ch. 04

Satisfied, she snuggled back down under the covers, still holding me close. We stayed that way a while and I wondered if I should send her to her own bed, thinking about what the Baumgartners might say if they woke to find us like this... But it was silly, of course, to worry. They'd known about me and Gretchen...they'd known all along, and encouraged it.

"Goodnight, baby," Gretchen whispered sleepily, and the soft sound of her deep breathing that followed decided me. I didn't care who saw us, who knew. So we'd been lovers, were lovers now, still. Where was the shame in it?

"Goodnight," I whispered back, although I knew she was already sleeping.

I must have drifted off, because the next thing I remembered was Janie standing next to the couch bed, the stairway light on, giving the room a half-lit glow.

"Janie?" I asked groggily, shading my eyes against the light, seeing she was still wearing the same clothes she'd had on when she left with Brian. "Are you just getting in?" I wondered what time it was.

"Well, you two look cozy," she snapped, curling her lip. "Goodnight."

"Janie!" I stage-whispered, trying not to wake Gretchen, but Janie was gone, stomping up the stairs and slamming her door, in spite of the late—or early—hour.

I spent a long time staring up at the ceiling in the darkness and wondering what to do about Janie. It wasn't until I had given up racking my brain for some sort of solution that I realized Janie's eyes had been red from crying as she stood there. But why? I didn't know. I didn't know anything anymore, except that it seemed like a long time until morning.

-----------

>^,,^<

If you enjoyed this story, please explore my other work, here on Lit and elsewhere. If you want to know more about me, check out my profile. And thanks for reading!

-Selena