Inception, Part 6, by fairchristabel, PG-13
Title: Inception, 6/?
Author: fairchristabel
Rating: PG-13 (for one little swear word by Eden, that dirty girl)
Summary: Follows just after the previous part. There's more scheming by Michelle and Eden (well, mostly Michelle), and more Idina/Kristin/Maddie bonding.
A/N: Sorry y'all, I know it's been forever, AGAIN (stupid classes). Anyway, thanks to everyone who's been reading this fic. I hope you enjoy this piece!
Idina carried Maddie into the kitchen and set her down on the tile floor. She immediately padded over and nosed the box of dog food that was sitting by the foot of the table. Maddie looked up at Idina, then bumped the box again with her nose and barked.
Idina chuckled. “Like mother, like daughter,” she grinned at Kristin, who had trailed in behind her. Idina grabbed two bowls from a top shelf and handed one to Kristin. “Here,” she said, taking the other bowl to the sink and filling it with water, “you can put the princess’s food in that.”
The sound of dog food bouncing around the inside of the bowl followed Idina as she carefully carried the water to the far side of the kitchen. She set the dish down a bit roughly, causing a tiny wave to crest and break over the edge and onto the floor. Maddie trotted over and began thirstily lapping her water.
“She acts like she hasn’t had anything to drink all day,” came Kristin’s voice, from directly behind Idina. Idina stepped back quickly, startled at the nearness of the blonde. Kristin moved forward and set the food down beside the water. Maddie immediately turned and dove into the food, scattering bits of it on the floor in her eagerness.
“Geez, Kris,” Idina said as they watched Maddie devour her food. “How long’s it been since you fed this poor girl? She’s starving.”
“Please, she’s fine. She just had breakfast a few hours ago,” Kristin replied. Maddie finished the last of her food, then looked up at Kristin and Idina expectantly. Idina walked over and grabbed the box of dog food off of the counter.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Kristin said, standing in front of Maddie and crossing her arms. “She doesn’t need any more food.”
Maddie whined and wiggled between Kristin’s legs, trotting over to nuzzle Idina. Idina smiled and crouched down to rub Maddie’s head. “Aw, have a heart, Kris. The poor baby’s hungry.”
“You’re too easy, Menzel. All it takes is a little pouting and you lose all-” Kristin broke off at the sound of the buzzer.
Idina was still crouched with Maddie. “Could you go see who that is, Kris?”
Kristin started to the front door, then turned around, her eyes narrowed. “You’re not going to give her more food while I’m gone, are you?”
“Would I do that?” Idina asked innocently.
Kristin held up her first two fingers. She pointed at her own eyes with them, then stabbed them towards Idina.
As soon as her back was turned, Idina opened the box and shook out some more food. “You better eat fast, girl, before your mommy comes back,” she whispered. Maddie began inhaling the food as Idina stood up and placed the box back on the counter. She walked through the door way and into the living room, blocking Kristin’s return to the kitchen.
“That was the delivery guy. He said you’d have to come down and pick it up,” Kristin informed her. She moved to the left to go around Idina, but Idina sidled over in front of her, blocking any further movement. Kristin stepped to the right, but again Idina was there, barring the way to the kitchen. Kristin stepped back, her hands on her hips, and stomped her foot. Idina grinned and stepped forward, grabbing Kristin’s left hand in her right, and putting her other arm around Kristin’s waist.
“What are you doing?” Kristin squeaked as Idina danced her into the middle of the living room.
“Dancing,” Idina replied as she raised her right hand high and twirled Kristin underneath it.
“Why?” Kristin asked, a bit breathlessly.
“I thought you liked dancing,” Idina replied as she spun Kristin out away from her. Idina let go of Kristin’s hand at the end of her spin, and Kristin tumbled onto the couch. Laughing, Idina flopped down beside her.
Kristin pulled herself up out of the cushions and stood up. “That’s not an answer.”
“You just looked so cute and angry, with you hands on your hip, and stomping your little foot,” Idina said with a grin as she reached out and pulled Kristin back down on the couch with her.
“That’s not an answer either,” Kristin said, pulling her hand away from Idina’s but remaining on the couch.
Maddie came jingling in and bumped Idina’s leg with her nose. Idina leaned over and picked Maddie up, then stood. “I bet Maddie would like to dance with me, wouldn’t you, pretty?” she cooed to the dog in her arms as she began twirling around the room.
As they passed in front of the couch for the second time, Kristin called to them. “Idina? Idina!”
Idina paused, one hand supporting Maddie, the other holding out a small paw. “What?”
“The food?”
* * * * * *
“We’re here. Miss?”
Eden opened her eyes and found the taxi driver staring at her. She looked out the window and saw that they were indeed in front of her apartment.
“Oh, sorry,” she muttered as she dug through her purse. She pulled out a twenty and handed it to him, then climbed out of the cab. Eden squinted her eyes against the dull gleam of the sun and slowly climbed the steps to the front door. Opening it, she went inside and torturously climbed the two flights up to her apartment.
Eden unlocked her door and stepped inside, closing and bolting it behind her. She took four short steps and collapsed on her futon, pulling a throw over her head. “I am never drinking that much again,” she groaned, closing her eyes and falling asleep.
* * * * * *
Kristin took Maddie out of Idina’s hands and gently shoved Idina towards the door. “Go. Now. Food.”
Idina laughed as she grabbed her purse from beside the door and was pushed out into the hallway. “Hungry, much?”
Kristin shooed her down the hall. “Hurry, before the nice man with the food leaves.”
Idina turned and entered the stairwell, and Kristin withdrew into the apartment, shutting the door behind her. Kristin dropped onto the sofa and held Maddie up to eye level. “Did you like dancing with your Auntie Idina?” Maddie barked twice and wagged her tail furiously. Kristin lowered Maddie to her lap and sighed. “So did I.”
Kristin stroked Maddie absently, thinking about the last day and a half. Something had changed in her and Idina’s relationship. Or, she corrected herself, something had changed in the way that she looked at Idina. Kristin sighed again, and looked down at Maddie. “What am I gonna do, Mads?” she asked despondently. Maddie looked back at her questioningly. “Idina’s my friend, and I love her, and I don’t want to push her away or lose her.”
Maddie barked. “I know she’s a woman!” Kristin exclaimed, poking at the dog’s belly. “Don’t you think I know that?” Maddie barked again. “Well, I don’t know what Momma would think, and frankly, I’m not gonna give her the chance to form an opinion.”
Maddie barked twice and nudged Kristin with her nose. “Oh, you think I should call her up and discuss it with her? Yeah, that’ll only be one of the shortest phone calls in history. “Hello? Mom? Hi, just wanted to tell you I’m in love a married Jewish woman. Click.”
Maddie whined and wiggled under one of Kristin’s arms. Tears pricked Kristin’s eyes as she picked Maddie up and snuggled her to her cheek. “I know Momma loves me,” she whispered into white fur, “but how could she understand it when I don’t even understand it myself?”
“Food’s here!” Idina cheerfully announced from the doorway.
Kristin stood up hurriedly and dashed the tears from her eyes. She held Maddie up to her face in an effort to hide any sign of tears. “What did you get?”
“Italian.”
“Ooo, Italian?” Kristin asked, forgetting herself enough to lower Maddie to her hip. Idina walked into the living room carrying a large, flat box. “Dee, that’s pizza,” Kristin said disappointedly.
“Pizza’s Italian,” Idina said defensively, walking past Kristin and setting the box down on the coffee table.
“But you ate pizza last night,” Kristin pointed out as Idina walked into the kitchen.
“Yeah. What’s your point?” Idina asked, coming back into the living room with two bottled waters in her hand. “Catch,” she said, tossing a full one at Kristin.
Kristin, one hand full of Maddie, put the other out in an awkward attempt to stop the flying water. The bottle glanced off her hand and thumped into the back of a recliner.
“Sorry,” Idina grinned, picking up the bottle and handing it to Kristin.
“You couldn’t’ve just handed it to me the first time?” Kristin asked, gingerly taking the bottle from Idina and sitting down on the couch. “You know I’m not athletic.”
Idina feigned shock as she went to the kitchen to get plates and napkins. “What? You? Not athletic? Where ever did you get such an idea?”
“Have you ever seen me do anything athletic?”
Idina pondered that for a minute as she came back and sat down beside Kristin. “What about the wand twirling you do every day? That’s kind of athletic.”
Kristin sat Maddie down between them and opened the pizza. “Nah, that just requires a degree of dextrosity. There’s virtually no athleticism involved.”
“Dextrosity? Is that even a word?” Idina asked as she got herself a slice.
“Hey, who’s got the Master’s Degree here, huh?” Kristin asked, biting into her piece of pizza.
“So you’re saying if I had a Master’s Degree, I could make up words, too?” Idina asked with a grin.
Kristin narrowed her eyes as she looked at Idina over her slice of pizza. “You know, if I didn’t have a broken hand from a bottle of water that some crazy person threw at me-while I was holding my dog, might I add-I’d hit you right now.”
Idina reached over and grabbed Kristin’s hand, pulling it close to her face. “It doesn’t look so bad,” she said, turning Kristin’s hand up and running her fingertips lightly over Kristin’s palm. “Do you feel anything?” Idina asked, her eyes and attention on Kristin’s hand.
Kristin swallowed. Her skin tingled along the paths Idina’s fingers traced. There was a pounding in her ears, and her focus narrowed to the feel of Idina’s hand on hers. As Idina’s fingers continued to brush over Kristin’s hand, searching for injuries, Kristin had to fight down a mad urge to entwine those magic fingers with her own.
“Mmphed foomt rurt.”
Kristin shook her head and swallowed, blinking rapidly. She brought her eyes up to Idina’s. “What?” she faltered.
“I said, it doesn’t look like it’s bruised,” Idina replied, releasing Kristin’s hand and the hold she had over Kristin’s senses.
“Oh. Good,” Kristin said awkwardly, pulling the suddenly cold hand back to her chest. Maddie barked, and Kristin turned to her, glad for the interruption. The small dog wagged her tail, then jumped to the floor and ran over to the front door. “I’d better take her out,” Kristin said, rising quickly.
“I’ll take her,” Idina said, standing up and making her way over to the door and the wiggling dog that stood in front of it.
“Are you sure?” Kristin asked, following several steps behind Idina.
“Yep. Maddie and I’ve got this down pat, haven’t we, girl?” she asked, bending down and scooping Maddie up. “Besides,” Idina added, pulling on a coat and snapping Maddie’s leash onto her collar, “I’m not sure you’d be able to hold on to her, what with your broken hand and all.”
Kristin blushed and turned to her purse, pulling out a plastic baggie. “Here,” she said, thrusting it out at Idina, “you know what to do with this.”
* * * * * *
Eden opened her eyes at the ringing of her phone. She struggled free of the blanket then picked up her purse and turned it upside down, dumping its contents on the floor. She grabbed the blinking cell phone, opened it, and pressed it to her ear. “Hello?”
“Hey, E,” came a far-too-chipper voice from the other end.
Eden groaned and propped herself up on one elbow to look at her clock. “Whadda ya want, Michelle? I just saw you, like, less than an hour ago.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve been putting my time to good use, plotting and planning.”
Eden rolled over on her back and threw her right arm over her eyes. “Yeah? I put my time to good use, too. I was sleeping.”
Michelle tsked. “Eden, Eden. How do you expect to become a super spy if you sleep all the time?”
“I don’t sleep all the time,” Eden protested.
“Yeah, whatever.
Eden sighed. “Did you want something, Federer?”
“Yeah. Go to your computer.”
“Why?”
“I want to show you something.”
“Can’t you just tell me about it?” Eden asked, curling herself up into a ball and pulling the blanket back over her legs.
“Nah. It’s more effective if you read it first.”
“I’m trying to sleep,” she reminded Michelle, closing her eyes and letting her phone rest on the couch beside her ear.
“You’ve got the rest of the day to sleep. Just go to your computer.”
Eden groaned and sat up, kicking the covers off onto the floor. She stood up and stretched her legs, then picked up her cell phone. “All right, I’m going,” she told Michelle as she padded back to her bedroom. Eden turned on her computer then sank down in her chair. “This better be good, Federer,” she said as she watched the computer screen come to life.
“It will be. Are you on?”
“Just a second,” Eden said, idly twisting back and forth in her chair. “Okay,” she said a few moments later, “now what?”
“Go to your e-mail.”
Eden typed in her password, then went to her inbox. “Is there something I should be looking for?”
“There’s a message from me.”
Eden scrolled down to the bottom of the page. “I don’t see anything. It’s mostly all spam. Let’s see, a free credit report, mortgage rates are down, penis enlargement, guess I can delete that, hmm, hey, I may have won a free laptop, breast enhancement-”
“That’s mine,” Michelle interrupted.
“What?”
“Click on the breast enhancement offer. That’s what I sent you.”
Eden froze. “You sent me information about how to get bigger boobs?” she finally managed.
“No, that’s just what I put in the subject line to fool anyone who might look through your e-mail.”
“Who’s going to be looking through my mail?”
“You’re a spy now, Espinosa. There are all kinds of people who would want to get their hands on our transactions.”
“And you think the best way to fool all these other people is for me to get bigger boobs?”
Michelle sighed exasperatedly. “It’s just a cover. I thought it would be a good idea if it looked like another piece of junk mail.”
“But why breast enhancement?” Eden pressed her. “You could have used anything-fixed credit, or lotto numbers, or a free vacation or something.”
“I don’t know, it was just the first thing that popped into my head. I thought it would be funny.”
“So what you’re saying to me is that subconsciously, you want me to have larger breasts, is that the gist of it?”
“What I want,” Michelle practically growled from the other end of the line, “is for you to quit wasting time and open that e-mail.”
Eden, smiling to herself, clicked on All Natural Breast Enhancement. It opened and she scrolled down to read the message.
E,
Here are a few operation names I’ve come up with. Tell me what you think (I would say you could send me any that
you’ve come up with, but you’ve probably been sleeping this whole time).
OPERATION NAMES
1. Operation Outing
2. Operation TRIKS: Trying to Reveal Idina and Kristin’s Secrets
3. Operation TOP HAT: Trying to Out People with Homosexual Attributes and Tendencies
4. Operation BUBBLE: Buried Underneath Bible Blushing Lies Eagerness
Buried Underneath Bible Blushing is Lesbian Experimentation
Beneath Untruthful Bible Blushing is Lesbian Experimentation
Busting Undercover Bible Belt Lesbian Experimentation
5. Operation PIKALL (pronounced ‘pickle’): Proving Idina and Kristin Are Lesbian Lovers
6. Operation FLATS: Finding Lesbionic Attributes Through Subterfuge
7. Operation MILK: Monitoring Idina’s Lust for Kristin
Eden laughed as she made her way down the list.
“Well?” Michelle asked. Eden, still laughing, didn’t respond. “They suck, I know,” Michelle said, a bit dejectedly. “I’d like to see what you come up with in less than an hour, though,” she added heatedly.
With effort, Eden controlled her merriment. “No, they’re great, Michelle. I love them.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Especially top hat and bubble and milk.”
“You don’t like the rest?”
“I like them all,” Eden replied, scrolling back to the top of the list. “I do like Operation Top Hat, though. It sounds very-”
“James Bond-ish?”
“Yes, very suave,” Eden agreed. She pulled one leg up under her and used the other to push herself away from the desk and into the middle of the room. “So which one should we use?” she asked as she slowly pushed herself in circles in her chair.
“We don’t have to use any of these,” Michelle answered. “I just thought I give you some ideas, you know, give you a jumping off point.”
Eden thought about that for a moment. “You know,” she said, pausing the dizzying whirl of her chair, “we could spell Operation Triks correctly. It could stand for Trying to Reveal Idina and Chenoweth, comma, Kristin’s Secrets.”
“E,” Michelle said in a pained voice after several moments of silence, “no one will know if it’s spelled correctly or not. It sounds the same either way.”
“I was trying to be funny.”
“Yeah, well, good luck with that.”
Eden sighed. “You never get my jokes.”
“I would if they were funny.”
* * * * * *
Idina carried Maddie outside and walked around the corner to a small patch of dead grass and a tree. She carefully set Maddie down in the grass then sat on a nearby bench, the end of the leash wrapped around her wrist.
“Okay, I’m not looking,” she said out of the corner of her mouth in the general direction of the tree. “So go ahead, take your time.”
Idina stared out at the nearly deserted street in front of her as she waited for Maddie to finish. A few minutes later she felt paws on her knees. “You finished, pretty?” she asked, picking Maddie up and placing the small dog on the bench beside her. Maddie wagged her tail and licked Idina’s hand. Idina laughed and rubbed Maddie’s head affectionately, then glanced over at the base of the tree. “Well I’m glad you decided to remember our agreement this time.”
Maddie barked and shoved her nose into Idina’s stomach. Idina lifted the shivering dog and settled her next to her chest, inside her jacket. Idina zipped her jacked up halfway, creating a puppy pouch for Maddie to warm up in. “You are just like your mommy,” Idina informed her, turning her body slightly to block the wind. “She’s always cold too. Maybe it’s because you’re both so tiny, huh?”
Maddie whined a little and burrowed down further in Idina’s coat. Idina chuckled as she stood and began walking back to her apartment, holding Maddie inside her jacket. “It’s a good thing Kristin’s not here, otherwise you’d have to share, and I don’t think that both of you can fit in there. Kristin, maybe, by herself, but not both of you. You’d be the odd dog out, I’m afraid.”
Maddie looked up at Idina and barked. “What?” Idina asked, stopping and stepping around the side of a building, out of the wind. Maddie barked again, still staring at Idina. “I don’t think I like your tone, missy,” she scolded the dog. Maddie, undeterred, scrambled onto her back legs and placed her front paws on Idina’s shoulder. She tilted her head up and began frantically licking the underside of Idina’s chin and neck.
Idina giggled and pushed Maddie away. “Stop it, dog. I’m not your mommy. I don’t like getting licked everywhere,” she said, wiping her chin with her sleeve. She blushed as she realized what she just said. “Not that I know anything about Kristin’s licking preferences,” she amended quickly. “I have no idea if she likes being licked, or where, or how, or if she likes to lick too-” Idina clamped her mouth shut and glared down at Maddie. “I’m not talking to you anymore,” Idina decided, pushing off the side of the building and continuing the trek to her apartment. “You get me all confused and then crazy talk starts pouring out of my mouth,” she said, glancing down at Maddie.
Idina took a few more steps then stopped and gave Maddie a hard look. “Did you just smirk at me?”
* * * * * *
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Michelle. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Eden hung up the phone, then rolled herself back over to her computer screen. She looked at the list of Operation Names again, then, smiling, hit the print button. When the message finished printing she closed the internet window and stood. Shower time, she decided.
Eden walked over to her dresser and took out some clean underwear and clothes. As she shut the drawer, her eye fell on the newly-framed picture that rested on top of her dresser. It had been taken just over a month ago on opening night. There was Idina, all in green and black, and Michelle, in her wheelchair, and Norbert, in all his Fiyero finery, and Joel, and Kristin, in her sparkly gown…Eden groaned. Kristin. Fuck, I forgot. How am I gonna face her tomorrow? I’ll have to apologize. I should call her. Should I call her? What’ll I say? Sorry for the drunken flirting last night? Hope you didn’t take it seriously? Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Eden absently chewed her thumbnail as she paced in a small circle and reviewed her options. “I’ve just got to do it,” she said to herself firmly. “Just call her up and get it over with.”
Eden picked up her phone and scrolled through the names until she came to Kristin C., then she quickly hit the send button before she had time to change her mind. The phone rang twice before it was picked up.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Kristin, it’s Eden.”
“Oh, hi, Eden. How are you feeling?”
“Okay,” Eden said, rubbing her eyes. “I’m a little tired, and it feels like somebody’s been banging on the inside of my skull with a mallet, but otherwise I’m okay.”
Kristin giggled. “I’m sorry, sweetie. You should get some rest.”
“Yeah, I will,” Eden said, sitting down in her desk chair and fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. She took a deep breath, then rushed out with, “Listen, the reason I called you is that I just wanted to apologize for anything-well, untoward that I might’ve said or done to you last night.”
“What do you mean?” Kristin said quizzically.
“Michelle said I was, um, flirting with everyone last night, but mostly with you, and that I had you pinned to the floor at one point. And I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry, and that I didn’t mean anything by it,” Eden finished in a rush.
“Sweetie, you shouldn’t believe everything Michelle tells you. You should know that by now.”
“You mean I didn’t-?”
“Well, yes, you did those things, but it wasn’t as bad as Michelle made it sound, I’m sure. Besides, you weren’t the only one who was drunk last night.”
Eden exhaled loudly and slumped back in her chair. “Okay. Well, sorry, anyway, for whatever I did.”
“It’s okay, hon, really. It wasn’t like you-”
“We’re back,” Eden heard someone announce in the background.
“Who’s that?” she asked Kristin.
“Idina. She took Maddie out to go to the bathroom. Say hi to Eden,” Kristin said.
“Hey, Eden,” came Idina’s voice, distantly.
“Hey, Idina,” Eden replied.
“Hey,” Idina said, her voice closer now, like she had taken the phone away from Kristin. “What’re you up to, Espinosa?”
“Not much,” she replied, her eyes resting on the list she had printed out. “Sleeping, mostly.”
“Sleeping? You’re not rehearsing?”
Eden got worried. “Was I supposed to rehearse today?” she asked, jumping up and hurrying into the living room and combing through her purse for her keys. “Did Joe mention it yesterday? I can be there in twenty minutes.”
Idina sighed. “Eden, understudies are supposed to rehearse every day. That way, you’ll be ready to step in should something happen to us stars.”
Eden froze, her hand on her doorknob. “I hate you,” she said into the phone as she walked back over to her futon and flopped down. She heard laughter from the other end of the line, then Kristin’s voice, distantly. “Don’t tease her, Idina, her brain isn’t moving all that fast today.”
“Ignore her,” Kristin’s voice said directly in Eden’s ear. “She thinks she’s funny sometimes.”
“So, Idina’s there with you. Did she spend the night?”
“What? No, I’m over at Idina’s apartment.”
“Oh,” Eden said, rubbing her forehead. “Did you spend the night with her, then?”
“You sound like Michelle,” Kristin told her.
“Come on, Kris, I’m starving,” Eden heard Idina whine in the back ground.
“Hold your horses,” Kristin admonished Idina. “I guess I’d better go, before someone here passes out from hunger.”
Okay,” Eden replied. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow. Bye.”
“Bye, Eden,” Idina yelled.
Eden clicked her phone off, then stretched out on the futon. Kristin never said whether or not she spent the night with Idina, Eden realized. Maybe Michelle is on to something.
Author: fairchristabel
Rating: PG-13 (for one little swear word by Eden, that dirty girl)
Summary: Follows just after the previous part. There's more scheming by Michelle and Eden (well, mostly Michelle), and more Idina/Kristin/Maddie bonding.
A/N: Sorry y'all, I know it's been forever, AGAIN (stupid classes). Anyway, thanks to everyone who's been reading this fic. I hope you enjoy this piece!
Idina carried Maddie into the kitchen and set her down on the tile floor. She immediately padded over and nosed the box of dog food that was sitting by the foot of the table. Maddie looked up at Idina, then bumped the box again with her nose and barked.
Idina chuckled. “Like mother, like daughter,” she grinned at Kristin, who had trailed in behind her. Idina grabbed two bowls from a top shelf and handed one to Kristin. “Here,” she said, taking the other bowl to the sink and filling it with water, “you can put the princess’s food in that.”
The sound of dog food bouncing around the inside of the bowl followed Idina as she carefully carried the water to the far side of the kitchen. She set the dish down a bit roughly, causing a tiny wave to crest and break over the edge and onto the floor. Maddie trotted over and began thirstily lapping her water.
“She acts like she hasn’t had anything to drink all day,” came Kristin’s voice, from directly behind Idina. Idina stepped back quickly, startled at the nearness of the blonde. Kristin moved forward and set the food down beside the water. Maddie immediately turned and dove into the food, scattering bits of it on the floor in her eagerness.
“Geez, Kris,” Idina said as they watched Maddie devour her food. “How long’s it been since you fed this poor girl? She’s starving.”
“Please, she’s fine. She just had breakfast a few hours ago,” Kristin replied. Maddie finished the last of her food, then looked up at Kristin and Idina expectantly. Idina walked over and grabbed the box of dog food off of the counter.
“Oh, no you don’t,” Kristin said, standing in front of Maddie and crossing her arms. “She doesn’t need any more food.”
Maddie whined and wiggled between Kristin’s legs, trotting over to nuzzle Idina. Idina smiled and crouched down to rub Maddie’s head. “Aw, have a heart, Kris. The poor baby’s hungry.”
“You’re too easy, Menzel. All it takes is a little pouting and you lose all-” Kristin broke off at the sound of the buzzer.
Idina was still crouched with Maddie. “Could you go see who that is, Kris?”
Kristin started to the front door, then turned around, her eyes narrowed. “You’re not going to give her more food while I’m gone, are you?”
“Would I do that?” Idina asked innocently.
Kristin held up her first two fingers. She pointed at her own eyes with them, then stabbed them towards Idina.
As soon as her back was turned, Idina opened the box and shook out some more food. “You better eat fast, girl, before your mommy comes back,” she whispered. Maddie began inhaling the food as Idina stood up and placed the box back on the counter. She walked through the door way and into the living room, blocking Kristin’s return to the kitchen.
“That was the delivery guy. He said you’d have to come down and pick it up,” Kristin informed her. She moved to the left to go around Idina, but Idina sidled over in front of her, blocking any further movement. Kristin stepped to the right, but again Idina was there, barring the way to the kitchen. Kristin stepped back, her hands on her hips, and stomped her foot. Idina grinned and stepped forward, grabbing Kristin’s left hand in her right, and putting her other arm around Kristin’s waist.
“What are you doing?” Kristin squeaked as Idina danced her into the middle of the living room.
“Dancing,” Idina replied as she raised her right hand high and twirled Kristin underneath it.
“Why?” Kristin asked, a bit breathlessly.
“I thought you liked dancing,” Idina replied as she spun Kristin out away from her. Idina let go of Kristin’s hand at the end of her spin, and Kristin tumbled onto the couch. Laughing, Idina flopped down beside her.
Kristin pulled herself up out of the cushions and stood up. “That’s not an answer.”
“You just looked so cute and angry, with you hands on your hip, and stomping your little foot,” Idina said with a grin as she reached out and pulled Kristin back down on the couch with her.
“That’s not an answer either,” Kristin said, pulling her hand away from Idina’s but remaining on the couch.
Maddie came jingling in and bumped Idina’s leg with her nose. Idina leaned over and picked Maddie up, then stood. “I bet Maddie would like to dance with me, wouldn’t you, pretty?” she cooed to the dog in her arms as she began twirling around the room.
As they passed in front of the couch for the second time, Kristin called to them. “Idina? Idina!”
Idina paused, one hand supporting Maddie, the other holding out a small paw. “What?”
“The food?”
* * * * * *
“We’re here. Miss?”
Eden opened her eyes and found the taxi driver staring at her. She looked out the window and saw that they were indeed in front of her apartment.
“Oh, sorry,” she muttered as she dug through her purse. She pulled out a twenty and handed it to him, then climbed out of the cab. Eden squinted her eyes against the dull gleam of the sun and slowly climbed the steps to the front door. Opening it, she went inside and torturously climbed the two flights up to her apartment.
Eden unlocked her door and stepped inside, closing and bolting it behind her. She took four short steps and collapsed on her futon, pulling a throw over her head. “I am never drinking that much again,” she groaned, closing her eyes and falling asleep.
* * * * * *
Kristin took Maddie out of Idina’s hands and gently shoved Idina towards the door. “Go. Now. Food.”
Idina laughed as she grabbed her purse from beside the door and was pushed out into the hallway. “Hungry, much?”
Kristin shooed her down the hall. “Hurry, before the nice man with the food leaves.”
Idina turned and entered the stairwell, and Kristin withdrew into the apartment, shutting the door behind her. Kristin dropped onto the sofa and held Maddie up to eye level. “Did you like dancing with your Auntie Idina?” Maddie barked twice and wagged her tail furiously. Kristin lowered Maddie to her lap and sighed. “So did I.”
Kristin stroked Maddie absently, thinking about the last day and a half. Something had changed in her and Idina’s relationship. Or, she corrected herself, something had changed in the way that she looked at Idina. Kristin sighed again, and looked down at Maddie. “What am I gonna do, Mads?” she asked despondently. Maddie looked back at her questioningly. “Idina’s my friend, and I love her, and I don’t want to push her away or lose her.”
Maddie barked. “I know she’s a woman!” Kristin exclaimed, poking at the dog’s belly. “Don’t you think I know that?” Maddie barked again. “Well, I don’t know what Momma would think, and frankly, I’m not gonna give her the chance to form an opinion.”
Maddie barked twice and nudged Kristin with her nose. “Oh, you think I should call her up and discuss it with her? Yeah, that’ll only be one of the shortest phone calls in history. “Hello? Mom? Hi, just wanted to tell you I’m in love a married Jewish woman. Click.”
Maddie whined and wiggled under one of Kristin’s arms. Tears pricked Kristin’s eyes as she picked Maddie up and snuggled her to her cheek. “I know Momma loves me,” she whispered into white fur, “but how could she understand it when I don’t even understand it myself?”
“Food’s here!” Idina cheerfully announced from the doorway.
Kristin stood up hurriedly and dashed the tears from her eyes. She held Maddie up to her face in an effort to hide any sign of tears. “What did you get?”
“Italian.”
“Ooo, Italian?” Kristin asked, forgetting herself enough to lower Maddie to her hip. Idina walked into the living room carrying a large, flat box. “Dee, that’s pizza,” Kristin said disappointedly.
“Pizza’s Italian,” Idina said defensively, walking past Kristin and setting the box down on the coffee table.
“But you ate pizza last night,” Kristin pointed out as Idina walked into the kitchen.
“Yeah. What’s your point?” Idina asked, coming back into the living room with two bottled waters in her hand. “Catch,” she said, tossing a full one at Kristin.
Kristin, one hand full of Maddie, put the other out in an awkward attempt to stop the flying water. The bottle glanced off her hand and thumped into the back of a recliner.
“Sorry,” Idina grinned, picking up the bottle and handing it to Kristin.
“You couldn’t’ve just handed it to me the first time?” Kristin asked, gingerly taking the bottle from Idina and sitting down on the couch. “You know I’m not athletic.”
Idina feigned shock as she went to the kitchen to get plates and napkins. “What? You? Not athletic? Where ever did you get such an idea?”
“Have you ever seen me do anything athletic?”
Idina pondered that for a minute as she came back and sat down beside Kristin. “What about the wand twirling you do every day? That’s kind of athletic.”
Kristin sat Maddie down between them and opened the pizza. “Nah, that just requires a degree of dextrosity. There’s virtually no athleticism involved.”
“Dextrosity? Is that even a word?” Idina asked as she got herself a slice.
“Hey, who’s got the Master’s Degree here, huh?” Kristin asked, biting into her piece of pizza.
“So you’re saying if I had a Master’s Degree, I could make up words, too?” Idina asked with a grin.
Kristin narrowed her eyes as she looked at Idina over her slice of pizza. “You know, if I didn’t have a broken hand from a bottle of water that some crazy person threw at me-while I was holding my dog, might I add-I’d hit you right now.”
Idina reached over and grabbed Kristin’s hand, pulling it close to her face. “It doesn’t look so bad,” she said, turning Kristin’s hand up and running her fingertips lightly over Kristin’s palm. “Do you feel anything?” Idina asked, her eyes and attention on Kristin’s hand.
Kristin swallowed. Her skin tingled along the paths Idina’s fingers traced. There was a pounding in her ears, and her focus narrowed to the feel of Idina’s hand on hers. As Idina’s fingers continued to brush over Kristin’s hand, searching for injuries, Kristin had to fight down a mad urge to entwine those magic fingers with her own.
“Mmphed foomt rurt.”
Kristin shook her head and swallowed, blinking rapidly. She brought her eyes up to Idina’s. “What?” she faltered.
“I said, it doesn’t look like it’s bruised,” Idina replied, releasing Kristin’s hand and the hold she had over Kristin’s senses.
“Oh. Good,” Kristin said awkwardly, pulling the suddenly cold hand back to her chest. Maddie barked, and Kristin turned to her, glad for the interruption. The small dog wagged her tail, then jumped to the floor and ran over to the front door. “I’d better take her out,” Kristin said, rising quickly.
“I’ll take her,” Idina said, standing up and making her way over to the door and the wiggling dog that stood in front of it.
“Are you sure?” Kristin asked, following several steps behind Idina.
“Yep. Maddie and I’ve got this down pat, haven’t we, girl?” she asked, bending down and scooping Maddie up. “Besides,” Idina added, pulling on a coat and snapping Maddie’s leash onto her collar, “I’m not sure you’d be able to hold on to her, what with your broken hand and all.”
Kristin blushed and turned to her purse, pulling out a plastic baggie. “Here,” she said, thrusting it out at Idina, “you know what to do with this.”
* * * * * *
Eden opened her eyes at the ringing of her phone. She struggled free of the blanket then picked up her purse and turned it upside down, dumping its contents on the floor. She grabbed the blinking cell phone, opened it, and pressed it to her ear. “Hello?”
“Hey, E,” came a far-too-chipper voice from the other end.
Eden groaned and propped herself up on one elbow to look at her clock. “Whadda ya want, Michelle? I just saw you, like, less than an hour ago.”
“Yeah, well, I’ve been putting my time to good use, plotting and planning.”
Eden rolled over on her back and threw her right arm over her eyes. “Yeah? I put my time to good use, too. I was sleeping.”
Michelle tsked. “Eden, Eden. How do you expect to become a super spy if you sleep all the time?”
“I don’t sleep all the time,” Eden protested.
“Yeah, whatever.
Eden sighed. “Did you want something, Federer?”
“Yeah. Go to your computer.”
“Why?”
“I want to show you something.”
“Can’t you just tell me about it?” Eden asked, curling herself up into a ball and pulling the blanket back over her legs.
“Nah. It’s more effective if you read it first.”
“I’m trying to sleep,” she reminded Michelle, closing her eyes and letting her phone rest on the couch beside her ear.
“You’ve got the rest of the day to sleep. Just go to your computer.”
Eden groaned and sat up, kicking the covers off onto the floor. She stood up and stretched her legs, then picked up her cell phone. “All right, I’m going,” she told Michelle as she padded back to her bedroom. Eden turned on her computer then sank down in her chair. “This better be good, Federer,” she said as she watched the computer screen come to life.
“It will be. Are you on?”
“Just a second,” Eden said, idly twisting back and forth in her chair. “Okay,” she said a few moments later, “now what?”
“Go to your e-mail.”
Eden typed in her password, then went to her inbox. “Is there something I should be looking for?”
“There’s a message from me.”
Eden scrolled down to the bottom of the page. “I don’t see anything. It’s mostly all spam. Let’s see, a free credit report, mortgage rates are down, penis enlargement, guess I can delete that, hmm, hey, I may have won a free laptop, breast enhancement-”
“That’s mine,” Michelle interrupted.
“What?”
“Click on the breast enhancement offer. That’s what I sent you.”
Eden froze. “You sent me information about how to get bigger boobs?” she finally managed.
“No, that’s just what I put in the subject line to fool anyone who might look through your e-mail.”
“Who’s going to be looking through my mail?”
“You’re a spy now, Espinosa. There are all kinds of people who would want to get their hands on our transactions.”
“And you think the best way to fool all these other people is for me to get bigger boobs?”
Michelle sighed exasperatedly. “It’s just a cover. I thought it would be a good idea if it looked like another piece of junk mail.”
“But why breast enhancement?” Eden pressed her. “You could have used anything-fixed credit, or lotto numbers, or a free vacation or something.”
“I don’t know, it was just the first thing that popped into my head. I thought it would be funny.”
“So what you’re saying to me is that subconsciously, you want me to have larger breasts, is that the gist of it?”
“What I want,” Michelle practically growled from the other end of the line, “is for you to quit wasting time and open that e-mail.”
Eden, smiling to herself, clicked on All Natural Breast Enhancement. It opened and she scrolled down to read the message.
E,
Here are a few operation names I’ve come up with. Tell me what you think (I would say you could send me any that
you’ve come up with, but you’ve probably been sleeping this whole time).
OPERATION NAMES
1. Operation Outing
2. Operation TRIKS: Trying to Reveal Idina and Kristin’s Secrets
3. Operation TOP HAT: Trying to Out People with Homosexual Attributes and Tendencies
4. Operation BUBBLE: Buried Underneath Bible Blushing Lies Eagerness
Buried Underneath Bible Blushing is Lesbian Experimentation
Beneath Untruthful Bible Blushing is Lesbian Experimentation
Busting Undercover Bible Belt Lesbian Experimentation
5. Operation PIKALL (pronounced ‘pickle’): Proving Idina and Kristin Are Lesbian Lovers
6. Operation FLATS: Finding Lesbionic Attributes Through Subterfuge
7. Operation MILK: Monitoring Idina’s Lust for Kristin
Eden laughed as she made her way down the list.
“Well?” Michelle asked. Eden, still laughing, didn’t respond. “They suck, I know,” Michelle said, a bit dejectedly. “I’d like to see what you come up with in less than an hour, though,” she added heatedly.
With effort, Eden controlled her merriment. “No, they’re great, Michelle. I love them.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. Especially top hat and bubble and milk.”
“You don’t like the rest?”
“I like them all,” Eden replied, scrolling back to the top of the list. “I do like Operation Top Hat, though. It sounds very-”
“James Bond-ish?”
“Yes, very suave,” Eden agreed. She pulled one leg up under her and used the other to push herself away from the desk and into the middle of the room. “So which one should we use?” she asked as she slowly pushed herself in circles in her chair.
“We don’t have to use any of these,” Michelle answered. “I just thought I give you some ideas, you know, give you a jumping off point.”
Eden thought about that for a moment. “You know,” she said, pausing the dizzying whirl of her chair, “we could spell Operation Triks correctly. It could stand for Trying to Reveal Idina and Chenoweth, comma, Kristin’s Secrets.”
“E,” Michelle said in a pained voice after several moments of silence, “no one will know if it’s spelled correctly or not. It sounds the same either way.”
“I was trying to be funny.”
“Yeah, well, good luck with that.”
Eden sighed. “You never get my jokes.”
“I would if they were funny.”
* * * * * *
Idina carried Maddie outside and walked around the corner to a small patch of dead grass and a tree. She carefully set Maddie down in the grass then sat on a nearby bench, the end of the leash wrapped around her wrist.
“Okay, I’m not looking,” she said out of the corner of her mouth in the general direction of the tree. “So go ahead, take your time.”
Idina stared out at the nearly deserted street in front of her as she waited for Maddie to finish. A few minutes later she felt paws on her knees. “You finished, pretty?” she asked, picking Maddie up and placing the small dog on the bench beside her. Maddie wagged her tail and licked Idina’s hand. Idina laughed and rubbed Maddie’s head affectionately, then glanced over at the base of the tree. “Well I’m glad you decided to remember our agreement this time.”
Maddie barked and shoved her nose into Idina’s stomach. Idina lifted the shivering dog and settled her next to her chest, inside her jacket. Idina zipped her jacked up halfway, creating a puppy pouch for Maddie to warm up in. “You are just like your mommy,” Idina informed her, turning her body slightly to block the wind. “She’s always cold too. Maybe it’s because you’re both so tiny, huh?”
Maddie whined a little and burrowed down further in Idina’s coat. Idina chuckled as she stood and began walking back to her apartment, holding Maddie inside her jacket. “It’s a good thing Kristin’s not here, otherwise you’d have to share, and I don’t think that both of you can fit in there. Kristin, maybe, by herself, but not both of you. You’d be the odd dog out, I’m afraid.”
Maddie looked up at Idina and barked. “What?” Idina asked, stopping and stepping around the side of a building, out of the wind. Maddie barked again, still staring at Idina. “I don’t think I like your tone, missy,” she scolded the dog. Maddie, undeterred, scrambled onto her back legs and placed her front paws on Idina’s shoulder. She tilted her head up and began frantically licking the underside of Idina’s chin and neck.
Idina giggled and pushed Maddie away. “Stop it, dog. I’m not your mommy. I don’t like getting licked everywhere,” she said, wiping her chin with her sleeve. She blushed as she realized what she just said. “Not that I know anything about Kristin’s licking preferences,” she amended quickly. “I have no idea if she likes being licked, or where, or how, or if she likes to lick too-” Idina clamped her mouth shut and glared down at Maddie. “I’m not talking to you anymore,” Idina decided, pushing off the side of the building and continuing the trek to her apartment. “You get me all confused and then crazy talk starts pouring out of my mouth,” she said, glancing down at Maddie.
Idina took a few more steps then stopped and gave Maddie a hard look. “Did you just smirk at me?”
* * * * * *
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Michelle. Bye.”
“Bye.”
Eden hung up the phone, then rolled herself back over to her computer screen. She looked at the list of Operation Names again, then, smiling, hit the print button. When the message finished printing she closed the internet window and stood. Shower time, she decided.
Eden walked over to her dresser and took out some clean underwear and clothes. As she shut the drawer, her eye fell on the newly-framed picture that rested on top of her dresser. It had been taken just over a month ago on opening night. There was Idina, all in green and black, and Michelle, in her wheelchair, and Norbert, in all his Fiyero finery, and Joel, and Kristin, in her sparkly gown…Eden groaned. Kristin. Fuck, I forgot. How am I gonna face her tomorrow? I’ll have to apologize. I should call her. Should I call her? What’ll I say? Sorry for the drunken flirting last night? Hope you didn’t take it seriously? Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
Eden absently chewed her thumbnail as she paced in a small circle and reviewed her options. “I’ve just got to do it,” she said to herself firmly. “Just call her up and get it over with.”
Eden picked up her phone and scrolled through the names until she came to Kristin C., then she quickly hit the send button before she had time to change her mind. The phone rang twice before it was picked up.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Kristin, it’s Eden.”
“Oh, hi, Eden. How are you feeling?”
“Okay,” Eden said, rubbing her eyes. “I’m a little tired, and it feels like somebody’s been banging on the inside of my skull with a mallet, but otherwise I’m okay.”
Kristin giggled. “I’m sorry, sweetie. You should get some rest.”
“Yeah, I will,” Eden said, sitting down in her desk chair and fidgeting with the hem of her shirt. She took a deep breath, then rushed out with, “Listen, the reason I called you is that I just wanted to apologize for anything-well, untoward that I might’ve said or done to you last night.”
“What do you mean?” Kristin said quizzically.
“Michelle said I was, um, flirting with everyone last night, but mostly with you, and that I had you pinned to the floor at one point. And I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry, and that I didn’t mean anything by it,” Eden finished in a rush.
“Sweetie, you shouldn’t believe everything Michelle tells you. You should know that by now.”
“You mean I didn’t-?”
“Well, yes, you did those things, but it wasn’t as bad as Michelle made it sound, I’m sure. Besides, you weren’t the only one who was drunk last night.”
Eden exhaled loudly and slumped back in her chair. “Okay. Well, sorry, anyway, for whatever I did.”
“It’s okay, hon, really. It wasn’t like you-”
“We’re back,” Eden heard someone announce in the background.
“Who’s that?” she asked Kristin.
“Idina. She took Maddie out to go to the bathroom. Say hi to Eden,” Kristin said.
“Hey, Eden,” came Idina’s voice, distantly.
“Hey, Idina,” Eden replied.
“Hey,” Idina said, her voice closer now, like she had taken the phone away from Kristin. “What’re you up to, Espinosa?”
“Not much,” she replied, her eyes resting on the list she had printed out. “Sleeping, mostly.”
“Sleeping? You’re not rehearsing?”
Eden got worried. “Was I supposed to rehearse today?” she asked, jumping up and hurrying into the living room and combing through her purse for her keys. “Did Joe mention it yesterday? I can be there in twenty minutes.”
Idina sighed. “Eden, understudies are supposed to rehearse every day. That way, you’ll be ready to step in should something happen to us stars.”
Eden froze, her hand on her doorknob. “I hate you,” she said into the phone as she walked back over to her futon and flopped down. She heard laughter from the other end of the line, then Kristin’s voice, distantly. “Don’t tease her, Idina, her brain isn’t moving all that fast today.”
“Ignore her,” Kristin’s voice said directly in Eden’s ear. “She thinks she’s funny sometimes.”
“So, Idina’s there with you. Did she spend the night?”
“What? No, I’m over at Idina’s apartment.”
“Oh,” Eden said, rubbing her forehead. “Did you spend the night with her, then?”
“You sound like Michelle,” Kristin told her.
“Come on, Kris, I’m starving,” Eden heard Idina whine in the back ground.
“Hold your horses,” Kristin admonished Idina. “I guess I’d better go, before someone here passes out from hunger.”
Okay,” Eden replied. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow. Bye.”
“Bye, Eden,” Idina yelled.
Eden clicked her phone off, then stretched out on the futon. Kristin never said whether or not she spent the night with Idina, Eden realized. Maybe Michelle is on to something.