CHAP 6
The Punch Line

The next day Kate woke up and showered. Going to make some coffee, she couldn't help but grin. Her smile widened as she stood sipping her brew. A masseuse, a massage, and you almost become a whole new person. She felt a freedom from some of the internal barriers she had mentally built up over the years. Feeling wonderfully light and more relaxed than ever, she wished she had thought of the idea years ago. She might not have been so apprehensive living her life.

Sheri stumbled into the kitchen around seven and made tracks straight for the coffee pot. Kate let Sheri get settled into her chair and drink at least half of her cup before even attempting to say 'good morning'.

Sheri grumbled a reply and held her hand up to prop up her head in exhaustion.

"Late night?" Kate asked innocently.

"Late!" Sheri mumbled. Kate got up and retrieved the pot to refill both of their mugs. She replaced it and hummed happily as she began to spread out some breakfast. Popping some toast into the toaster, she turned to find Sheri staring at her. Kate realized she was humming and stopped. She fumbled with something to say in the silence as she moved over to the refrigerator.

"Would you like some breakfast?"

"No, just coffee thanks. How can you be so cheerful this early in the morning? Sheri growled as she grabbed at the sports section of the newspaper on the table.

Kate watched amused.

"That's yesterday's paper and I decided to take your advice. I went to the massage parlor yesterday." Kate kept herself busy buttering her toast.

"How did you like it?" The very curious question came from behind the still raised paper.

Kate answered honestly. "It was fantastic." She carried her toast over to the table. "I feel 100% better. I don't know why I haven't ever tried this before. The masseuse was incredible." Kate looked toward Sheri's hidden person. The paper stayed upright.

"That's nice." The paper came down and Sheri was glancing at her watch. "I'd better get in gear. My class starts in an hour."

Kate nibbled at her toast frowning in confusion. Whatever the plan was, Sheri was truly playing it cool.

Later that evening Kate made it home and had her books spread out to study before Sheri even walked in the door. As the roommate made her appearance, Kate stopped to stare. Sheri looked completely haggard.

"What happened to you?" Kate asked as Sheri dropped her book satchel onto the floor by the Lazyboy and sank down into its depths to close her eyes.

"What didn't happen to me today! My instructor was late for my first class so it cancelled and I went over to the library to finish an English assignment. The library didn't have the book I needed so I had to drive downtown to the public library. The traffic was hell! I had to circle the parking lot four times before getting a slot. I got the book and was late to my next class by 15 minutes. My instructor called me after class to tell me not to make it a habit because seniors should know better. Then he gave me my report back on my anatomy project and said it needed a few major corrections." Sheri paused to roll her eyes.

"I got through my morning classes and ran over to Taco Bell for lunch, which was my 15th bad decision for the day. I sat behind 13 other cars in the drive-thru and moved as slow as molasses in the wintertime. After getting my food I ate it in the car driving back onto campus. Fast eating gave me indigestion that lasted for the next two classes.

Kate rose to cross to a miniature bar she had installed earlier that month. She poured Sheri a rum and coke and poured herself a glass of seven-up. Sheri smiled as she took it and thanked her.

"What's on your agenda tonight?" Kate inquired.

"Oh, nothing special. Maybe a quick review of my lecture notes and an hour in the Jacuzzi. Nothing strenuous. I'm pooped."

Kate and Sheri studied. Kate must have nodded off as she awoke still sitting in her chair. It was only nine p.m. She looked around; Sheri was absent from the room. The house was quiet except for a tinny sounding radio playing through the back door out on the patio deck. Kate stood and stretched. She crossed to the glass door quietly. Looking out, she saw Sheri smoking a cigarette, reclining in the Jacuzzi.

She must have been humming with the country tunes as she flicked an ash into a tray on the edge. Kate looked at the other woman's profile and smiled. Sheri reached over and lifted the glass full of a fresh drink. Suddenly the glass slipped and fell into the waters. "Shit!' Sheri said, frustrated. She stood up to catch the glass and set it back on the edge.

Kate's mouth went dry as she realized Sheri was naked. Sheri stood, her breasts dripping water and her nipples hardening with the outside air. Kate swallowed as her stomach tightened. She slowly backed away from the view. Sheri was reaching for a nearby towel. Returning to the recliner, Kate had just enough time to straighten her books and escape into her room before she heard Sheri slide open the back door. Kate rested her head against the solid wood of her bedroom door and closed her eyes.

Damn that woman is beautiful!

Forty minutes earlier Sheri sank into the warmth of the Jacuzzi and lit a needed cigarette. She watched the cloud of smoke float into the red fluorescent lights hanging near the lattice roof. The evening sky was beginning to twinkle with stars. Sheri sighed and took another long drag. What am I doing? The way I talked her into going to Sister's and then hiding behind a mask? What was the point? Sheri knew the original point had been to allow Kate a means of release and relaxation. Sheri knew Kate wasn't dating and there was a decided lack of social life there. She thought if she gave Kate a way to relax and feel a bit more free, she might open up to others more easily. She briefly wondered what would cause Kate to become so secluded to begin with. She is perfectly charming around me! Maybe her parents are horrible? Or maybe it's worse?

Sheri began humming with the country station as she thought of the way Kate had responded in her hands. Kate had been so responsive to her touch. Sheri pictured Kate's curves lying on the bed and revisited that beautiful body in her mind. All Sheri's life she had been picturing women in her fantasies and here was the real McCoy sleeping behind her in the living room.

Sheri had definitely experimented with other women, but she had never found someone who fulfilled her dreams. She was also attracted to certain types of men; however, she had never exploded with orgasm unless she thought of a fantasy woman.

Sheri thought of Kate and lay her head back to the side of the Jacuzzi. Reaching for her rum and coke, she accidentally dropped the glass. "Shit!" she muttered, jerking forward and standing up.

She grunted at her own stupidity and retrieved the glass that was sinking under the water. Maybe I just need to get laid? She frowned again as a vision of Kate, naked, stretched out on a bed, moaning at her floated into her head. She stepped out of the Jacuzzi and grabbed her towel to start drying off. Wrapping the light blue Sari around her body she turned off the Jacuzzi jets and slid open the outer door.

Glancing over at the settee area, she saw that Kate was no longer there. Sheri listened and didn't hear a sound. She must have gone to bed. At least someone in this household can sleep. Sheri walked into her bedroom and closed the door behind her.

Kate was gone when Sheri went down to the kitchen the next morning. A note beside the daily paper said she 'had an early class to prepare for' and she 'had to hurry'. Coffee was made and there were donuts in the fridge. Sheri survived with a frown and some grumbles. She smirked slightly at the 'have a nice day' signed by Kate.

When Sheri arrived at her first class she was just settling into her the chair when her instructor walked in with a stack of packets. He made an announcement to the class covering the general information inside the packets and urged everyone to grab one the way out. Sheri's ears caught a statement of Biology instructors would be guest lecturing the next week. Wasn't Kate worried about her teaching next week?

When she got her package she opened it and skimmed down the itinerary, finding Kate's name. She was lecturing on 'Cell structure and Cell fusion'. Sheri grinned and thought this was going to be fun. She would get to see Kate teaching and watch her for the entire hour. Sheri waggled an eyebrow at the idea and commanded herself to make sure she stayed awake.

After classes ended that day she drove home. Walking into the front door, she saw suitcases in the entrance. Frowning she rounded the corner into the kitchen and saw her brother cradling his head in a towel full of ice. Kate was busy getting more ice trays broken up near the sink while the man moaned softly.

Sheri tried to picture what had happened, but couldn't figure it out. Sheri began laughing at the confusion and her brother's pitiful expression. Kate's worried face turned to Sheri with some relief.

"It was an accident. I didn't know he was your brother. I swear!" Kate blurted out.

"What did you do to him, Kate?" Sheri chuckled, trying to calm the smaller woman down.

"Hey sis! Didn't know you had gotten a professional fighter as a roommate!" Thomas looked warily over at Kate's blushing features. Kate wrapped a new towel up securely and exchanged the one Thomas was holding for the new.

"I'm really sorry, Sheri, but he scared the devil out of me and I just reacted." Kate looked over at Sheri as Thomas tentatively touched the new ice wrap to his swelling eye and forehead.

"Serves him right for not calling first!" Sheri glanced at the nasty looking black bruise that was forming. "What did you clobber him with? A two by four?" Thomas snickered and rubbed his own temple at the pain he caused in laughing.

"She hit me with her hand, Sheri." Sheri looked over at Kate wringing her hands together in embarrassment.

"I have a brown belt in Karate!" Kate confessed. Sheri's eyes widened and a laugh escaped at her brother's accidental discovery.

"Well, you sure clobbered him. Wish you would have let me see the whole thing though." Sheri teased her brother who looked up with a frowning dirty look.

Sheri just laughed again and then introduced the two of them to each other. After the commotion all three moved upstairs to visit. Sheri and Thomas sat down and Kate mixed up a few drinks. After serving everyone, she nervously sat down across from Thomas and next to Sheri. Sheri reached out and gently squeezed her knee.

"He may be sneaky, but he is harmless. Relax!"

Kate nodded OK and took a sip of her soda.

"What are you doing here, Tom?" Sheri inquired after a few moments.

"I'm just visiting to see how the place is looking." His blue eyes wandered around the upstairs area and he began to nod. "I like what you've done with it. How's the Jacuzzi? Are you still bathing nude?"

Sheri glanced quickly over at Kate and noticed she was stirring her drink. Sheri saw a slow flush rise on Kate's cheeks and wondered.

"I try to keep from flashing to the world since Kate moved in. I wouldn't want to shock anyone. How bout you? Are you still lecturing to the pretty ladies?"

Thomas gently removed the cold ice pack and walked to the mini bar to dump the ice. A small lump and a darkening bruise were forming around his temple. He turned around carefully and smiled at his sister's sarcasm.

"Yes, I'm lecturing, but found a short break in my schedule. I decided to stop in and say hello. "Hello!"

Sheri watched him finger his new lump and chuckled again.

"I've been meaning to knock some sense into you for quite some time now. All it took was Kate. I'll remember that!" Sheri patted Kate's knee again and smiled at her roommate.

Kate blushed deeper as Thomas gave them both a lopsided grin.

"I'm very sorry I scared you Kate. Believe me! I'll make sure I call if I ever want to stop in again." Kate lost the battle and turned scarlet as she sat quietly sipping her drink.

Sheri laughed and Thomas joined in. Kate chuckled slightly too. For the next hour they chatted about family and friends. Kate was drawn into the discussion when the two siblings brought up Aunt Helen and Dotty.

After a bit Thomas invited both the women to go to dinner. Sheri wouldn't let Kate decline and answered 'yes' for both of them. Thomas left shortly thereafter and promised to pick them up around eight.

Kate and Sheri ran around the upstairs area getting ready to go out. They compared outfits and changed their plans three or four times. Finally Kate was ready wearing a dark blouse with a plunging vee neckline and French cuffs at the end of the long sleeves. She had simply picked out a pair of dark blue jeans since Sheri explained Tom's idea of a good time was a Country bar.

Sheri wore a tight fitting sweater of light pink, which pulled down off her shoulders to leave her neck and shoulders bare. She also ended up wearing jeans. They accessorized their jewelry and both women pulled out boots to wear.

The finished products were both amazed as they looked at each other. Sheri's dark hair fell down around her shoulders accenting her tan skin and highlighting the diamond pendant she was wearing. Her cleavage was well emphasized with the sparkling pendant.

Kate had let her blonde hair curl its wild locks around her head and it now reached mid back. The dark maroon blouse enhanced her paler soft skin and brought out her green eyes with sparkling depths. She wore gold earrings that flickered visibly between strands of hair as she moved. A braided choker of black wrapped around her neck. Sheri's eyes slid downward slightly from the choker and enjoyed the slight cleavage Kate was showing.

They were giving each other compliments as the doorbell rang. Sheri ran downstairs to answer it and Kate watched the backside of her roommate with pleasure. Nice! Down girl!

"Fantastic. You two look great. I'm going to have trouble keeping the guys from stealing you away. Oh, but, I guess Kate will protect us." The three of them chuckled.

Thomas looked quite handsome in his button down white silk shirt with fringe crawling in a vee down his chest and across his back. He wore blue jeans and boots too. Sheri had been spot on with her brother's style.

An hour later they had a huge dinner spread across the restaurant table at the Regency Hotel Grand Dining Room. The sparkling fountains and plants and colorful lighting had the large room designed for all different groups of people to enjoy. Sheri and Tom kept Kate in stitches as they bantered back and forth. Kate revealed her status as an only child and Tom began telling stories of Sheri being raised as the only girl with five older brothers. Around ten, they sipped up the last drop of wine as they devoured the last bite of cheesecake.

After they left the restaurant, Tom drove them all to a nearby Honky Tonk. The city was just picking up steam on the Wednesday night ladies night specials. Tom was the wannabe cowboy and showed Sheri and Kate how to blend in. He took them out on the dance floor and they were swept into a line dance. The steps were fairly simple and all three of them laughed and danced for quite some time. Tom moved them over to try out the mechanical bull. The girls declined but Tom attempted and flew off into the cushions to the screaming shout of both Kate and Sheri.

Sheri talked Kate into punching a mechanical punching bag. Kate stared at the bag and drew in a deep breath. She released a shout as she punched forward. The bag machine started dinging its rating of her strength. Sheri laughed and wide-eyed noted the label of 'dangerous' to her small roomie. Tom whistled and cheered pointing at his head to the assembled crowd around the machine. Kate blushed and ducked her head into Sheri's shoulder in embarrassment.

Sheri wrapped her arms around Kate and laughed at her brother. They moved away from the machine and eventually laughed the evening away. Around midnight, Sheri stifled her second yawn and Kate was beginning to blink at the bright lights. Tom drove them home and gave them both a kiss on the cheek. He promised to call them soon and told Kate he was glad they had met, regardless of the circumstances. Kate laughed and Tom winked then groaned as his head reacted with pain.

Sheri followed Kate upstairs and, feeling drained, they both plopped down into the recliners.

"He is very nice, Sheri." Kate exclaimed through a yawn. She covered her mouth and grinned at her happy exhaustion. Sheri watched Kate snuggle deeper into the chair's depths. Standing up she walked over and pulled off the boots from Kate's feet. Kate stretched out in satisfaction and mumbled thanks. Sheri just stood watching. Kate noticed the tall figure watching her and she blushed.

"I had a nice time too." Sheri stated breaking her stare and picking up the boots to toss over into a corner. She pulled the stretch material of her sweater straight and glanced back at Kate.

"You'd better get to bed before you fall asleep in that chair."

Kate smiled, yawned and lowered the footrest of the reclining chair to stand up. Her feet weren't ready to rely on their flat form yet since the boots had given them a two-inch height change and Kate nearly fell over the coffee table out of balance. Sheri stepped forward and grabbed Kate around the waist to stop a serious fall. Kate reached over and caught Sheri's hand. She balanced herself and felt her shoulder resting against Sheri's chest. In fact Sheri's body was pressed tightly against Kate's side.

"Thanks! I was used to the boots." She muttered awkwardly, stepping away.

Sheri stepped back too and let Kate pass as she made her way over to her room. Kate said goodnight as she entered her bedroom. Not hearing a reply she looked back out into the living space to see Sheri lighting up a cigarette standing at the patio doorway looking out. Kate noticed the frown on her friend's face and thought to ask about it. But, she closed her bedroom door instead.

Hearing the click of the door, Sheri drew in a deep drag on the cigarette and frowned more. She turned away from the backdoor and sat back down into the recliner. This living with Kate is going to be difficult. Kate was obviously not ready for a direct approach in a relationship and Sheri didn't really want to get clobbered in the attempt. Maybe I can loosen her up some at the parlor?
Continued...