Tomahawk'd Part 10

Letting Jackson's admission settle, Erin understood a little more of where she was coming from. She knew it couldn't have been easy for Jackson to realize she was a lesbian. A question formed in her mind that she voiced aloud. "Does Jackie know? That you're um...gay?"

"Yeah. I told her right before my last birthday. She kinda knew already, but I told her not to tell Sandra. She probably already knows too, but I wasn't ready to tell her yet."

Another question formed in Erin's mind. "Jack?"

"Hmm?" She looked into blue eyes and felt her heart speed up.

"How did you know which room was mine? I've only lived in the bas.e.m.e.nt a short time."

Chuckling softly, she answered, "Mr. Henderson told me."

"What?" she cried loudly then covered her mouth repentantly.

They stopped talking and listened for a while to make sure they hadn't woken Erin's mother. When they heard nothing, they resumed their conversation.

"I was outside your house and he busted me. I made up a lie about it being your birthday and wanting to take you to breakfast. He was more than happy to help."

Erin smiled. "G.o.d, I would've peed if I were you."

"Trust me, I wasn't that far off, especially with the full bladder I was carrying."

"That was really quick thinking on your part," Erin complimented.

A soft blush reached Jackson's cheeks. "Thanks."

When silence enveloped the girls, Erin felt the nervous tension return. "Jack?"

Jackson turned to her. "Yeah?"

"What do we do now? I mean, where does all of this leave us?"

"Well, I hope you can forgive me for lying to you and I pray you can learn to trust me again."

Erin looked into her eyes and saw the warm, wonderful girl she'd grown to love very much. "I do forgive you. I was just so angry, and when I found out my mom was leaving, I just jumped s.h.i.+p."

"Yeah, what's up with that? Why did your mom leave?"

"G.o.d, it's a long story and I don't even know the half of it."

"I was upset that you left, but I understood why. That picture said a thousand words, words I really didn't want to hear you yell at me."

Erin blushed, having forgotten about the drawing. "Oh, um...sorry about that. It was the only way I could tell you how I felt without actually, um...telling you."

"It's okay. I think we both did some things we wish we hadn't last night."

"Yeah, we did."

They smiled at each other. Jackson didn't think that it would be prudent to tell Erineverything she'd done wrong.

"Does Jackie know you came here?" Erin asked.

"Oh, um...not really. I left her a note."

"What is it with us and notes? I left one for my dad before we left," Erin said with a chuckle.

"I dunno. Must be that pen pal thing we developed at a young age."

Nodding, Erin said, "Must be."

"I'm probably going to get in a lot of trouble when I get back, but...you are worth the risk."

"Thank you for driving so far to show me that."

"You're welcome." Jackson noticed the time on the clock was after six. The sun had come up and the day was beginning.

Erin saw the red r.i.m.m.i.n.g around Jackson's eyes and knew she needed to sleep. "Stand up." Jackson did as she was told and Erin pulled the bedcovers down. "Get in." Jackson's eyes went wide with surprise. "You need sleep and I need sleep. I don't know about you, but I haven't slept much in the last two days and I'm exhausted."

"You read my mind, but what about your mom?"

Erin walked over to her door and turned the lock on the handle. "This is one of the reasons I wanted to have my room down here. She doesn't have a key to this door and I'm safely tucked in here away from her."

"Won't she come down to check on you or something?"

"No. She was so excited I came home, I could ask for gold right now and she'd give it to me. I think she'll give me some s.p.a.ce for a while." She looked at Jackson with sincere regret. "I'm so sorry she has it out for you. I just wish I knew why."

"Me, too, Hawk. Me, too."

Erin shut off both lights, leaving only the coming day's light to illuminate her room. Both girls climbed into the full-size bed and pulled up the covers. They stared at the ceiling, not really sure what to do. Jackson's sleepiness was suddenly gone as realization set in that she was in bed with Erin. Erin must have sensed the same thing as she continued to stiffly stare at the ceiling.

"Hawk?"

"Hmm?"

"Does it make you uncomfortable? You know, knowing that I'm gay?"

Erin slowly turned to face her bedmate. She reached out and took Jackson's closest hand in hers. "No, it doesn't. I promise you I will never act differently around you just because you're a lesbian. You're not just a lesbian to me; that's only a small part of who you are. You're just...my Jack, and I love you."

My Jack. The words were floating like a fluffy cloud through Jackson's mind. They warmed and soothed her more than she would have thought possible. "Thank you, Hawk. That means the world to me." Tears formed in Jackson's eyes and she didn't fight them.

Erin saw them glisten and held tightly to her hand with one hand and brushed the tears away with the other. Erin soon fell asleep on her side, holding Jackson's hand on her pillow.

When Jackson looked over and saw Erin asleep, she leaned over to kiss their entwined fingers and whispered, "I love you, too, Hawk. More than you'll ever know."

Chapter Seven.

1990 Paldeer, Illinois 11:30 a.m.

A knocking on her bedroom door jolted Erin awake. Her eyes went wide with the realization of who was on the other side of that door.

"Erin, honey, are you still asleep?" Katie called, jiggling the handle. "Why is your door locked?"

Jackson heard the voice and instantly sat up in a panic. Her focal expression matched Erin's who had placed a finger over her mouth, shus.h.i.+ng her.

"Yeah, Mom. I was really beat." She paused. "I must have locked it by mistake last night. I don't wanna get up to open it, though. Did you need something?" Erin heard her mother sigh.

"I am going to the store. Since we emptied the house before we left for vacation, I need to shop. I was going to ask you if you wanted to come, but since you're still in bed, I'll go alone."

"Okay, Mom. Have fun."

"Did you want anything special from the grocery?"

Jackson kept mouthing, "Go away" while Erin tried hard not to laugh. "No, Mom, I'll be fine with whatever you pick. I'm gonna rest for a while longer."

"Okay, honey. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

Jackson pumped her fist. "'Kay, Mom. Bye."

The girls didn't make a sound until they heard the front door close. Both released a huge sigh and laughed nervously once the coast was clear.

"Man, that was a close one. I gotta pee!" Jackson exclaimed and ducked into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.

Erin leaned back in bed and laughed. She closed her eyes and opened them wide when she heard a knock on her outside window. Her mother had stopped on the way to the detached garage in the backyard.

"Honey?" she shouted through the closed gla.s.s.

Erin leapt off her bed and answered loudly, "Yes, Mom? Why are you outside my window?" She hoped Jackson heard her so she'd stay in the bathroom.

Motioning for Erin to open her window, Erin did, only to have her mother yell, "What's your screen doing open? Anyone could just climb in your room."

Thinking quickly, Erin said, "I locked myself out of the house before we left for Wisconsin. I guess I forgot to put it back. Don't worry, I always keep my window locked, Mom."

"You'd better. That isn't safe, honey."

"Mom, if someone wants to get in, they're gonna get in despite a screen."

Katie smiled. "You're so smart, dear. That's probably very true. I didn't mean to wake you. Go back to bed and I'll see you in a little bit."

Erin smiled, hoping the sweat she felt pouring from her body wasn't visible. "See ya later, Mom."

Erin watched her mother walk through the side garage door and waited until she saw the overhead door open. She watched her mother back out and close the door. The burgundy Nissan backed slowly down the drive and out of Erin's view. She quickly opened her door and raced upstairs to watch through the bay window in the living room as her mother drove off down the street.

"Oh, thank G.o.d!"

Jackson stealthily came up behind her and grabbed her sides. "Boo!"

"Hey!" Erin whipped around. "You've had the chance to pee, I haven't! I'd prefer not to do it on my living room floor." They laughed and Erin ran into the powder room.

Jackson took the opportunity to look at Erin's house for the first time. The house was very, very tidy. Everything was neatly arranged, from the sofas to the grandfather clock, to the large potted plants on Oriental carpets. All in all, it was a nicely decorated house.

Erin came out of the powder room with a loud sigh of relief. "Aahhhh, so much better."

Jackson laughed. "I'm sure. G.o.d, I'm so glad you spoke up when you did, I was ready to come out of the bathroom."

"Oh, my G.o.d! I thought I was going to die from fear! I forgot to slide the screen back into place and, of course, she saw it and had to ask me about it. I just hope she doesn't remember that you can only unlock the screen from the inside. I told her I always kept my window locked, but then how would I have gotten inside? Uggh! I think she bought it, though."

"I think so too or she wouldn't have left until she had you under the lights." She changed her voice and raised her hands up like she was holding lamps. "Where were you the night the screen was opened? What are you hiding?"

Erin laughed and slapped her hands away. "She's been so crazy this year. I just don't get it. She has this ridiculous idea of what she wants me to be and it's not even close to what I want."

Sighing, Jackson said, "I know, Hawk. She has this picture in her head of you going to school, graduating from the best college, finding the perfect man and settling down to have grandchildren...for her." She shook her head. "This is what she wants. Just stick to your guns and live the life you want."

"I'll do my best. It's so hard around her. I don't think I've ever felt like I wasn't a disappointment. My dad, on the other hand, just wants what you want and that's for me to be happy. He's really a great dad."

Jackson smiled. "I can see that. I see the way his eyes light up when you're around. That's one thing I missed, not having a dad that I knew."

"You've never told me about that."

"There's nothing to tell, Hawk. My mom got pregnant when she wasn't married. I was the oops and the guy that did it was nowhere to be found."

Softening her voice, Erin asked, "Does that bother you at all?"

"Mmm, some, but Jackie has been a great mom and I don't think I could ask for a better life."

"True." Erin smiled. "You do seem very happy."

"I am, for the most part."

"Okay, enough of this. I need some breakfast or something. I am so hungry!" Erin exclaimed.

"Come back with me," Jackson blurted suddenly.

"What?" Erin wasn't sure she'd heard right.

"Come back to Wisconsin with me."

"Jack..."

"Hawk, your dad is up there so it's not like you don't have a place to stay or a ride home. The only obstacle would be..."

"My mother." "Your mother," they said in unison.

"That's a pretty big obstacle, Jack."