Patty nodded. "As long as you behave and have that room picked up," she said.

"Can I come too?" Thomas asked, turning his attention away from the video game for a second.

"Yes, you can come too," Crystal said.

"I'll walk you to the car," Patty said. "Thomas, your games are scattered all over the place. Pick them up and put them away please." "Okay Mom."

"I'll help," Jessica added, kneeling down and picking up two of the games. Crystal turned away from the children and headed for the door, Laura and Patty right behind her.

"What?" Crystal asked as soon as they were outside.

"What did you say to her?" Patty asked.

"Um, I'll go get the Jeep warmed up," Laura offered, though it was not cold enough to warrant such an action.

"We just talked," Crystal said to Patty as Laura walked away. "Nothing you have to worry about."

"Well I do worry," Patty said. "You're my sister and she's my mother. You spent half the night giving her looks and you haven't said a kind word to her since you returned. How am I not supposed to worry?"

Crystal pulled her cigarettes out of her pocket and offered one to her sister. "You can't expect everything to be all nice-nice between us," she said, taking a cigarette for herself and lighting it. "And I'm never going to be as nice to her as you are so don't expect it."

"But?"

Inhaling deeply, Crystal took a long drag on her cigarette before answering. "But as long as she doesn't try to act like mother of the year or go on about how she cares for me, I think we can be civil to each other."

"And who knows what might happen from there," Patty said, adding her own smoke to the cloud forming above them.

"Don't push it," Crystal warned gently. "I'm sure Doc and I will have a hell of a session about this. So what did you and Laura talk about anyway?" "What else," Patty said. "You, but I'll let her tell you about it."

"Tell me."

"You tell me what you said to Mom," Patty countered, much to Crystal's annoyance. "See? So you ask your girlfriend and I'll ask Mom and then we'll both know."

"You're a real pain in the ass, you know that?" Crystal said, nudging her sister with her elbow. "You always were."

"So were you," Patty said. "Jessica is a lot like you too. You're going to have fun with her next weekend. She gets into everything." Crystal tossed her cigarette on the ground and crushed it beneath her sneaker. "I'm sure I can handle her for a few hours." "Hours? Oh no. You're taking them for the weekend."

"Uh uh, not for the weekend." Crystal shook her head. "No way."

"How about overnight?"

"Not a chance."

"So I suppose summer vacation is out of the question too, huh?" Patty teased. "Ah, no problem. Listen, I'd better let you go so you two can get home. Tell Laura I said good night, will ya?"

"Sure, see ya later." Crystal turned to leave only to find herself stopped by Patty pulling her into a hug.

"Not going to leave without giving your big sister a hug, were you?"

"You're not exactly my bigger than me anymore," Crystal said.

"Certainly not in the chest," Patty said, pulling back. "Go on, I'll talk to you tomorrow."

"So what did you two talk about?" Crystal asked as she shut the car door.

"Nothing important," Laura said, putting the Jeep in gear and backing out of the driveway. "How about you and your mother?" "I think we've come to an understanding," Crystal said. "But don't expect me to go out looking for Christmas presents for her or anything." "You okay?"

Crystal stared out the window for a few seconds before answering. "Yeah, I think so." She gave a small smile when Laura squeezed her knee reassuringly. "I'll be fine, really. It's just

I dunno, draining I guess." She threaded her fingers with Laura's. "I love you."

"I love you too," Laura said, squeezing their joined hands. "Do you want to stop at the park before we go home? It's a little cool but we could take a short walk on the path if you like."

"No, I just want to go home," Crystal said, pressing her forehead against the cool glass. "Go home and curl up under a nice, thick blanket with you." "Sounds good, you know I love cuddling with you," Laura said, slowing down to turn onto the highway ramp.

"Yeah, and then you can tell me what you and Patty were talking about."

"You really want to know?" Laura said. "All right. I told her I thought she was being unfair to you and that she should let the two of you work things out between yourselves."

Crystal rolled the window down an inch or so and pulled out a cigarette. "And what did she say? I heard your voices raise a couple of times." "First she sent the kids in to get in their pajamas. I'm glad she did that because I didn't want to argue with her in front of them." "Yeah, sounds like a good idea," Crystal said. "So?"

"So first she tried to tell me that it was a family thing and I should stay out of it and I told her that when it comes to you, it is my business because I love you," Laura said. "I pointed out to Patty that where she's had ten years or so to work out her feelings about your mother that you're only now starting to deal with them and she should be more understanding."

"Oh yeah?" Crystal took a long drag on her cigarette. "Sounds like you told her, my hero." She leaned over and pressed her lips to Laura's shoulder. "I'm glad you were there with me."

"Always," Laura promised.

"Brr, did you turn the heat down before we left?" Crystal asked as they entered the townhouse. "It is almost November, you know." "You make it sound as though we live in Northern Canada," Laura said as Crystal turned the thermostat up a few degrees. "It can't be below fifty out there."

"It's still cold," Crystal grumbled good-naturedly as she took off her jacket and, with Laura's, put them in the closet. Their sneakers were next, this time put neatly on the mat next to the door.

"Well, I can suggest something to keep us warm," Laura said, slipping her arms around Crystal's waist.

"Oh yeah? Like what?" Crystal asked, leaning back against her lover's warm body.

"I was thinking about us, naked," Laura lowered her voice to a husky trill. "A steamy bath with lots of bubbles. We haven't taken a bath or shower together yet. It might be fun." Nuzzling Crystal's ear, she inhaled the scent of shampoo and smoke. "It'll relax you."

Crystal gave a playful snort. "I don't think relaxing is what you have in mind."

"You're right," Laura whispered, her roaming hands moving slowly up Crystal's ribcage. Reaching the top button, she slowly opened it. "You, me.." Another button opened, revealing a hint of lace. "Hot soapy water that makes everything nice and slippery." A few quick tugs and Crystal's shirt was free, the remaining buttons opening with ease. "Relaxing is not what I have in mind at all." Her fingers reached for the back hooks of the bra while her lips search out Crystal's.

That was all the encouragement needed to get Crystal to follow her up the stairs and into the bathroom. After flipping the lever to plug the tub, Laura turned on the hot and cold taps, adjusting the flow until she had it at just the right temperature. "Do you want bubbles?" she asked. "Sure, if you do," Crystal said, standing in the middle of the bathroom, still fully clothed.

Laura shut the water off and stood up. "Hey," she said, gently wrapping her arms around Crystal's waist. "Need some help?" She was answered with Crystal's lips seeking out hers. Taking it as a yes, she deepened the kiss, her hands pushing the shirt off Crystal's shoulders. Before she could try to fold it, however, it was taken from her hands and tossed against the door, the bra with it.

"Not a chance," Crystal murmured against her lips, her hands moving between their bodies and slipping under the thick sweatshirt.

Laura shuddered as playful fingers walked up her torso and danced over her bra covered breasts. "Keep that up and we'll never make it into the tub," she said, stepping back to shrug off her top and bra. She smiled indulgently when Crystal took them from her to add to the growing pile by the door. "I can't believe I let you do that," she said, pulling Crystal close.

"Next thing you know you'll be leaving dishes in the sink overnight," Crystal said.

"Never," Laura vowed, groaning softly at the warm feeling of her lover's body against hers. "It's getting hot in here," she said in a husky whisper. "I know," Crystal said, their eyes locking as her hands slipped behind Laura's neck. "The mirror's all fogged up."

"Oh, is that how you can tell?" Laura asked, her playful smile matching her lover's. Hooking her fingers inside the waistband of Crystal's jeans, she smoothly undid the button and lowered the zipper. "Think it's because of the hot water?"

"No," Crystal said.

Laura pushed the jeans over Crystal's hips. "Think it's because you turned up the heat when we came in?"

"No."

"Hmm," Laura gave a thoughtful look as she gently guided Crystal to lean against the wall. "Well," she said as she knelt down and worked the jeans off first one leg, then the other. "It must be because we're half naked and about to make love."

Crystal smiled and nodded. "Yeah, that must be it."

Unable to resist the smooth thighs inches away from her face, Laura leaned forward and kissed the creamy skin. "You're so beautiful," she said, her hands rubbing up and down Crystal's legs.

"Now who's keeping us from getting in the tub?" Crystal asked, her chest rising and falling noticeably

Pleased with the effect her touch was having, Laura gave a self satisfied smile and finished her task, standing only after she had Crystal completely naked. Pressing their bodies together, Laura gave her a long and passionate kiss. "Would you start the water again and add the bubble bath?"