The sky was still midnight blue as Jordanna pulled the Pathfinder out of the garage, and backed it into the driveway. The light from the three-quarter moon splayed shadows of tree limbs across the dark concrete, moving slightly in the light ocean breeze that was blowing.

The sleepy drummer jumped out of the SUV and walked back into the house. She picked up their two suitcases, threw Rebecca's duffel bag over her shoulder and walked back out to the driveway. She opened the back hatch of the Pathfinder, pleased with her forethought to clean it out the day before, and slid the three pieces of luggage into the back. She felt warm arms snake around her waist and sighed. "Ready to go, baby?" She spun around, still remaining in Rebecca's embrace, and leaned down for a kiss. "Mmm," she moaned, tasting her lover's Colgate fresh breath.

"Damn." The reporter rubbed her eyes. "It's far too early for me to be awake."

Jordanna smiled at her lover, and walked back into the house. She ran up the stairs to use the bathroom a final time, and checked the room to make sure that they didn't forget anything. Her eyes focused on the garment hanging on the back of the door, and she chuckled, realizing that she almost forgot the dress she was going to wear to the wedding. The same dress that she painfully had to go out shopping for, since she didn't own anything that she would wear to a wedding. Concerts, yes; weddings, most definitely not. Rebecca told her that she didn't think the only skirt she owned, her black leather miniskirt, would go over well in her small-minded hometown.

She grabbed the dress and went back outside, hanging the outfit on the hook in the back of the champagne colored Pathfinder carefully, not wanting to wrinkle the material too much in transit.

Rebecca ran her hand down the plastic that was covering the blue dress, and her eyes lit up brightly. "You are going to look so sexy in this, love."

"Yeah, real sexy," the drummer grumbled. "You know I hate wearing dresses, Rebecca."

"Yeah, but… I'm finally going to get to see your sexy legs."

"You can see them now." The drummer teasingly started to pull down her gray sweatpants. Rebecca grabbed her hands to stop her but it was too late, the dark-haired woman's sweatpants were already around her ankles on the ground.

"Jordanna!" Rebecca looked at her lover and laughed. "Do you have no shame?"

"You know my answer to that." The drummer smirked and shrugged her shoulders as she pulled her sweatpants back up. "You said you wanted to see my legs."

"But you have no panties on, Jor!"

A dark brow lifted. "Yeah, so?"

"You know there's been photographers and reporters hanging around in the bushes for the past few weeks, watching our every move."

"It's still dark out." Jordanna winked and grinned at her lover's embarrassment. "Or is it you just don't want anyone seeing my naked buns plastered on the cover of next week's Enquirer?"

"Yes, it is dark out, love, but you are standing right in the moonlight." Rebecca wrapped her arm around Jordanna's waist and started to walk towards the Pathfinder. "You really are too much, you know that? Can we go now, before you get yourself into more trouble?"

"I thought you said you loved trouble?"

"I do."

"Well, then… what's the problem?" Jordanna asked as she opened up the driver's side door of the Pathfinder and climbed in.

Rebecca decided not to respond and just poked her head in the window. "I can drive, Jor."

"I'll drive, baby." The dark-haired woman pointed to the passenger seat, motioning for Rebecca to get in. "You can take over after we pick Cindy up, okay?" she asked, after Rebecca got in and settled.

"Okay." The reporter put her hand on Jordanna's knee and gave it a squeeze.

The drummer opened the security gates and drove down the private drive, pulling out onto the quiet highway, starting off their six-hour drive to Pennsylvania. The sky was just starting to show signs of life, brightening on the horizon in the distance. "Why don't you try to get some sleep, Rebecca. Lord knows we didn't get much last night," she chuckled, thinking of their night spent attending to each other's needs and desires, knowing that for the next few nights that they were going to have a 5-year-old in the hotel room with them.

"Mm, yeah," Rebecca agreed, her mind also returning to the thoughts of Jordanna's loving caresses only a few hours prior. "Another hour or so of sleep would do the trick, Jor. You sure you don't mind?"

"Of course not. Could you do me a favor first, though?" Jordanna pointed to the glove compartment. "Get my sunglasses out of the glove compartment for me, will ya?"

Rebecca opened the glove compartment and pulled out the drummer's mirrored Ray Bans and handed them to her lover, who slipped them on the top of her head- not needing them until the sun actually shows itself. "Thanks, baby. Do you mind if I put on some music?"

"Limp Bizkit?" Rebecca asked, snorting at her own question.

"What is the deal with you and Limp Bizkit, Rebecca? I personally was thinking more along the lines of the 'Somewhere in Time' soundtrack, actually." Jordanna pulled the CD out of its jewel case and slipped it into the disc player.

Rebecca shook her head.

"What?"

"You never cease to amaze me."

"Why?"

"I would never expect you to listen to something like this," Rebecca said, and leaned her head back to enjoy the soothing classical sounds that filled the SUV.

"Why not?" Jordanna laughed at her lover's blind stereotyping of her musical tastes. "I like all kinds of music. The only music I don't like is Polka, Opera, and that shit-kicking, twangy, good ole boy country music."

"Uh oh."

"What?"

"Jor, you'll be getting a serious dose of that shit-kicking, twangy, good ole boy country music this weekend because that's pretty much the only music they listen to back home."

"Good God… kill me now," the drummer complained. "Well, I guess I can handle a little Shania, Faith Hill, or Garth Brooks."

"I'm sure you could handle a little Shania, if you got the chance." Rebecca snorted and opened her eyes, motioning the outline of a woman's curves in the air with her hands. "Question is, could she handle you?"

Jordanna smiled at Rebecca's assumption, however right she may be. "She's not bad." She ran her right hand along the reporter's thigh. "But I have all the woman I'll ever need in you."

"Not bad my ass, Jordanna… the woman is gorgeous! But I love you for trying, sweetheart." The reporter gave Jordanna's hand a squeeze before she leaned her head back again and closed her eyes, letting the sounds of the road and the music lull her into a light sleep.

Jordanna turned her head quickly to glance at her lover when she heard her breathing even out, confirming that she had fallen asleep. She couldn't control the urge to gently run her fingertips along Rebecca's cheek, and smiled at the sight of her beautiful lover sleeping peacefully.

She hoped that, for Rebecca's sake, the weekend ahead of them would be as peaceful as it currently was for them. She realized what a major disaster it may turn out to be for Rebecca, choosing to flaunt her relationship with her new lover in her family's face, rather than to just leave it alone.

No stranger to confrontation regarding her sexual orientation, the drummer really didn't give a shit if they said or did anything to her. She wasn't sure if Rebecca could handle a direct attack from the family she grew up with; the family that, no matter what she may say, she still loves. More importantly, Jordanna didn't know how she would personally react if they said or did anything to hurt Rebecca, also.

She hoped it wouldn't come to that.

The sky was a brilliant display of pinks, oranges and yellows as she pulled onto the Long Island Expressway, bathing Rebecca's angelic face in the beautiful colors, revealing her for what she really is to the dark woman- heaven sent. Jordanna thought of waking Rebecca up so she could enjoy the beautiful sunrise with her. The reporter was rarely up early enough to enjoy it, unlike the drummer, who was usually running along the ocean as the sun was making it's presence known.

The CD ended so she slipped in another one, and sang quietly along with Sarah McLachlan as she drove down the long stretch of highway. She shuddered when she saw the sign that said 'HAUPPAUGE- NEXT 3 EXITS,' making her immediately think of her family and her childhood home.

Her mind wandered and she wondered if her father ever thought about her, or if she, his first born daughter, was just a long forgotten nightmare from years past. She shook her head, cursing herself for even thinking about it, never the less caring.

Her thoughts then flipped to her mother, who, she realized, still could possibly live in the home that she grew up in, the home that was just about a mile or so away from where they were driving.

She looked down at the gas gauge and decided to pull off of the highway at the next exit and fill up the tank at a gas station in Brentwood, not far from where she lived with Dre and Karla after she ran away. The dark-haired woman pulled the Pathfinder to a stop next to an available pump, and watched as her lover's eyes fluttered open.

Rebecca sat up slowly and looked around. "Where are we?" she asked sleepily.

"At a gas station."

"No shit, love."

"I figured we better fill the tank up. We are in Brentwood."

Rebecca's eyes opened wide. She was curious to see the town ever since Jordanna told her about it. "The town that you lived in with Dre?"

The drummer nodded. "Yeah."

Rebecca looked around better at the surrounding area and cringed at the element. "Doesn't look like a very nice town, Jor."

"It's not," the drummer answered, opening the door. "I'll be right back." She got out of the Pathfinder and started to go into the gas station to pay for the gas.

"Jor, wait!"

The drummer had her hand on the door handle and was about to walk in when she heard Rebecca call out to her. She politely opened the door for an older woman and waited for her to go in before she walked back to the vehicle. Rebecca rolled the window down. "Can you get me something to eat?"

The drummer smiled at her lover and her forever-empty stomach. "There used to be a 7-11 right down the road from here. I was thinking of stopping there for coffee before we take off again, okay?"

Rebecca nodded happily and then rolled the window back up. She watched the man at the pump next to them check Jordanna out as she walked back to the gas station to pay.

Jordanna flipped her shades onto the top of her head as she walked out of the gas station. Rebecca watched her lover as she walked by and winked at her, and glanced in the rear view mirror every once in a while to get a look at the seemingly unnoticed ultra famous woman pumping gas.

Such a simple every day life thing, Rebecca thought, and it seems so weird to see the drummer doing it. She had to admit that Jordanna did try hard to be as normal and as down to earth as she possibly could be, probably more than any other star the reporter met over the years.

Some people say that when you choose to be famous, you give up your right to privacy. Sadly enough, that couldn't be truer. Rebecca often wondered if the fame was worth it, and asked that question during a lot of her interviews. Some of the answers she got were downright depressing.

The drummer slid back into the driver's seat and put her fingers under Rebecca's chin. "Why the sad face?"

"Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Is fame worth losing your anonymity over?"

Jordanna swallowed a few times, started the engine, and pulled out of the gas station and onto the road, stopping for a red light at the expressway overpass. "I often wonder…" She whispered quietly, clearing the hoarseness in her throat. "I wonder if things would have been different had I picked another profession."

"Things?"

"I always wonder if I would be an addict had I been… say, a receptionist in an office rather than a musician, you know?"

"Hmm." Rebecca put the tip of her finger on her lip. "That's a good question."

Jordanna thought about it for a little while as they silently waited for the light. "I think I probably would be. Maybe not as bad, though. The addiction started before my career did."

"As far as the anonymity goes," she continued, stepping on the gas as the light turned green. "I try hard not to let my fame hold me back from doing public things." She shook her head. "But there are some things I just can't do, like food shopping, or whatever."

"I don't know if I could handle that," Rebecca admitted.

"On the flip side, though…" Jordanna turned and looked at her lover. "I'm a woman that never even graduated from high school, yet I'm a multi-millionaire. So, in that way, to me, yes, I guess that it's worth it."

"I thought you said you didn't care that much about money?"

"I don't, really." Jordanna paused, trying to think of the best explanation, one that would give her the chance to feel her lover out about marriage. "But there will come a time when I'm older that I won't be able to work, you know? I'd like to be able to support my family and not have to worry about it. To have the money to put Cindy through college."

Rebecca's head snapped up quickly and her eyes opened wide. "What?"

"I'm sorry. I'm getting ahead of myself here, Rebecca." She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry for assuming."

"No, no…" Rebecca didn't know what to say. She just wished her rapidly beating heart would calm down. She ran her hand across the drummer's cheek. "Don't be sorry, Jor. That is very sweet of you to think of Cindy like that."

The nervous Jordanna spotted the convenience store and pulled into the parking lot. "Let's go get something to eat for breakfast, okay?"

**

"Mommy, I have to pee pee."

Rebecca glanced in the rear view mirror at her daughter, who was quiet and coloring contently for well over an hour. They decided to make the drive going the New Jersey route, and just crossed the border into Pennsylvania. "Do you think you can hold it a little longer, honey? There's a town coming up in about 15 minutes, okay?"

The little girl nodded and spoke quietly. "Okay."

"I could use a bathroom break, too, baby," the sleepy drummer muttered. She fell asleep right after they took off from Manhattan after picking Cindy up, and had been sleeping, and holding in the 20 ounce 7-11 coffee she drank, ever since.

"How about we stop for something for lunch, then?" the reporter suggested. Her stomach was just beginning to let her know that it wasn't happy about being empty. "You can use the bathroom there."

"Can we go to McDonald's?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes at her daughter's favorite cuisine. "You up for Mickey D's, Jor?"

"Mm, wherever you guys want to go is fine with me." Jordanna sat up straight at rubbed her forehead, feeling a slight throbbing begin to build behind her eyes. She looked out the window and gazed at the scenery passing by. "Are we still in Jersey?"

"Nope," Rebecca answered. "Just crossed the border into Pennsylvania."

Rebecca got off of the highway a couple exits further, and pulled onto a street that was lined with every fast food restaurant imaginable, one after the other, on both sides of the road. "There it is," Cindy pointed, noticing the golden arches in the distance. Rebecca pulled into the parking lot, and the drummer quickly exited the Pathfinder, giving her stiff body a little stretch before she followed Cindy and her lover in.

"I still say McDonald's has the best French fries," the drummer commented, as she inhaled the smell of the greasy potatoes. "I haven't had them in so long."

"Yeah." Rebecca thought about the eastern end of Long Island and its lack of fine food establishments. "There aren't any fast food restaurants where we live, are there?"

"Nope," Jordanna answered. "There's a Burger King in the Hamptons, but that's a good hour drive from home."

"Jor!" Cindy impatiently tugged on the tall drummer's hand. "I really have to go badly!"

"Sorry, sweetie." She took the young girl's hand and started to walk to the bathroom. Rebecca got on line to order while Jordanna and Cindy used the facilities, and was already sitting at a table in the back corner when they returned. The drummer let Rebecca's daughter scoot onto the circular bench first and then slid in after her. She smiled and picked up the chocolate shake that was sitting on the table, giving the thick liquid a good stir with the straw before taking a sip. "Is this mine?" she asked afterward.

Rebecca took the shake back from the drummer. "Well, actually, love, that was mine." She pushed another shake towards Jordanna. "This one is yours."

The dark-haired woman blushed. "Sorry, baby," she said, and opened the cardboard box that her quarter pound cheeseburger was in. She pulled the top bun off of the burger and removed the three pickles piled on top, and then proceeded to wipe off the onions, ketchup and mustard with a napkin. "Ugh, mustard? They don't put mustard on their hamburgers on Long Island, do they?" she asked quietly, as she continued to wipe the condiments off of her burger. She could see that her two companions were watching her. Blue eyes slowly lifted from her tray. "What?"

"Why don't you just order it that way?"

"Takes too long," the fussy eater answered dryly, and then took a bite of the burger. "Do my eating habits bother you?"

Rebecca let a mischievous smile grow on her lips. "Not all of them, love."

The dark-haired woman's brow shot up quickly. "Oh? Do tell?"

Rebecca shook her head and kicked Jordanna's leg under the table. She should have known better then to tease her playful lover like that.

Rebecca sighed with relief when she saw the Lancaster Hilton in the distance. She thought she was going to kill if she heard the question 'are we almost there yet?' one more time and it wasn't only her young daughter asking it.

She pulled the Pathfinder into a spot in the back of the crowded parking lot, and the three of them dragged their tired bodies out of the vehicle. They walked through the front door of the lobby and sighed when they saw the long line. "Why don't you two sit down while I check us in," Rebecca suggested, pointing to a couch on the other side of the lobby and got on the end of the long line.

Jordanna and Cindy took Rebecca up on her suggestion, and walked over to the couch. The drummer sat down next to a man dressed in jeans, a denim shirt, cowboy boots and a cowboy hat. She smirked slightly when she realized that she could have been sitting next to the Marlboro man himself. Cindy sat down next to her. "Why don't you sit on my lap, kiddo, so other people have room to sit?" the drummer asked, and then lifted the young girl into her lap.

The Marlboro man looked up from the newspaper he was reading and turned their way. "Hey there, little lady."

He looked directly into the drummer's eyes. "She's adorable. How old is she?"

I hate small talk. "She's 5."

"She looks a lot like you. Except for the eye coloring."

'I'm talented… but not that talented,' Jordanna thought, and smirked slightly. "Must be the dark hair. She's my… friend's daughter."

"Oh. I guess you're not here for the convention then," he commented, as his eyes roamed up and down her body.

She shook her head, noticing where his gaze was going. You haven't got a snowball's chance in hell with me, Tex. "Nope. Not here for the convention."

"Name is Darryl," he said, tipping his cowboy hat to her. He looked at her expectantly. "What's yours?" he finally asked after a few moments of silence.

"Listen, Darryl… I'm not interested in…" Jordanna started to blow him off, but stopped when she heard Rebecca call out her name. Cindy climbed off of her lap and she quickly got up to join her lover. "Gotta go. Nice meeting you, Darryl."

**

"I have reservations," the reporter said to the clerk at the desk, after waiting on line for 35 minutes.

"Last name?"

"Hurley."

The young man behind the desk looked up at her dumbfounded. "Spell that?"

"H U R L E Y. Rebecca Hurley."

He typed the name into the computer and they heard a beeping noise. He shook his head at the reporter. "Sorry ma'am, nothing is coming up."

"That can't be. Try it again. H U R L E Y." He tried again and heard the offensive beeping noise. "I don't understand this, I just confirmed them yesterday morning," Rebecca mumbled in confusion.

"Hang on a second, ma'am, let me check somewhere else." He typed a few keystrokes into the computer and narrowed his eyes while he was reading what the screen said. "Ah…"

"What?"

"It says here that you called and cancelled your reservations yesterday afternoon, Ms. Hurley."

"No, I didn't…" Rebecca shook her head. "I didn't call and cancel my reservations. Can't I just get another room?"

"We are totally booked for this weekend. There's a big cattle convention being held in the area."

She turned her head and looked at her bored-looking lover, who was sitting with Cindy on her lap, listening to the cowboy sitting next to her talk. "Jor?" she said loudly, and then waved the drummer over when she looked up at her.

The dark-haired woman jumped at the chance to escape the conversation she was having, and practically ran when Rebecca called for her. "What's up?"

"Someone called and cancelled our reservations."

The drummer lifted a brow. "What?"

"We have no reservations."

Jordanna pinned the young clerk with her blue eyes. "Can't we just make reservations now?"

"No, ma'am, I'm sorry. We have no rooms available. Big convention is in town."

"Cattle convention," Rebecca offered, knowing that's the question that her lover was just about ready to ask.

Jordanna's eyes opened wide, looking very much like a deer caught in headlights. "A cattle convention? You've got to be kidding me?"

Rebecca burst out laughing at her lover's reaction. "Welcome to my childhood, Jor."

"Damn… no wonder you wanted out of this town so badly."

Rebecca smiled and asked the clerk one last question. "Is there anywhere else you can suggest we try?"

"There's mostly motels around here." He grabbed an address book out of a drawer behind the counter when he saw both the small blonde and the tall, dark-haired woman frown. "There is a resort a couple miles down the road. It's extremely expensive and you have to rent by the week."

Jordanna nodded. "That's fine. Do you have the name and address?"

The clerk wrote everything down on a piece of paper and handed it to her. "Thank you for your help," she said calmly, and walked away from the desk and over to her lover, who started to walk to the front door with Cindy.

As soon as they walked out the front door, Rebecca turned around and looked at Jordanna with anger in her usually warm green eyes. "Who in the hell do you think would do that?"

"Do what, baby?"

"Someone called and cancelled the reservations on us, Jordanna!"

Jordanna ran her hand in circles along Rebecca's back. "I'm sure it was just a mistake."

"No, it fucking wasn't and you know it, Jordanna!" Rebecca fumed.

Jordanna shot her eyes towards Cindy. "Baby, please."

Cindy didn't miss her opportunity to scold her mother. "You said a bad word, Mommy."

Rebecca leaned down and hugged the young girl. "I'm sorry, pipsqueak. I'm just a little angry right now. Sometimes I say bad words when I get angry."

Jordanna looked at the paper that the hotel clerk handed her and took out her car keys. "C'mon, let's try the resort the clerk was talking about."

They climbed back into the Pathfinder and pulled down the street that the clerk said that the resort was on. Jordanna slowed down slightly when she saw a group of townhouses in the distance. She pulled into a small parking lot next to the first townhouse after she noticed the word office on the door. "Let's see if they have anything available," she muttered, and then got out to walk to the office. She saw a middle-aged woman sitting behind the counter in the front lobby, eating lunch.

"Can I help you?"

Jordanna stepped up to the front desk. "We don't have reservations, but I'd like to know if you have anything available?"

The clerk looked the drummer up and down, frowning at her attire. "We only rent for the week."

The drummer nodded. "That's fine."

"How many in your party?"

Rebecca and Cindy walked in and joined Jordanna right as she was answering the question. "Three."

The hesitant clerk looked at all three of them. "I assume you would like two bedrooms?"

'Assume this, bitch,' the drummer thought, as her New York temper began to flare up a bit. Rebecca politely answered the question for her. "Yes, if you have two bedroom accommodations available, that would be great."

The somewhat snobby woman punched a few keystrokes into her computer, bringing up the reservation menu. "How will you be paying for this?" she asked, knowing that the women standing in front of her certainly weren't going to pay cash for the resort, if they would be staying at all once they heard the cost of the two bedroom suite.

Jordanna lifted a brow. "How much is it for the week?"

'Probably more than your trailer cost you,' the snobby clerk thought. "It's $2000 for the week, not including tax and gratuities."

The dark-haired woman pulled her wallet out, went to grab for her credit card but changed her mind at the very last minute, just to annoy the clerk. "Cash."

"Um," the woman cleared her throat, totally surprised by Jordanna's response. "I'll need your name and address."

"Rebecca Hurley," the reporter spoke up, using her name instead of Jordanna's. She waited for the woman to type her name into the computer.

"1 Navajo Drive," she said slowly and paused again.

"Amagansett."

"New York."

"11930."

"Amagansett?" The woman looked up from the computer. "I recognize that name. That's on Long Island, isn't it?"

Rebecca nodded.

"My husband and I stayed at Gurney's Inn in Montauk last summer on vacation, and loved it. Is that far from where you live?"

"A fifteen minute drive," Jordanna answered, knowing that Rebecca probably wasn't familiar enough with the area yet to know where the popular summer resort was located. "Do you own this place?" she asked, deciding to be nice to the woman who had oh so quickly changed her tune when she found out that they did indeed have money.

"Yes, my husband and I own this resort." The woman pulled out a calculator to figure out how much the room was going to cost in total. "That will be $2,459."

The dark-haired woman zipped open their duffel bag, and pulled out a wad of hundred dollar bills, laying them down on the counter after she counted out 25 of them. Rebecca shook her head at her lover. She had no idea that Jordanna had that kind of money hidden in their bag. "Why do you carry so much money on you, Jor?" she asked in a whisper.

"Force of habit," the drummer whispered back and shrugged. "You never know when you are going to need it. Like this weekend." Jordanna couldn't remember the last time she didn't have that much cash on her, because most of the places she used to frequent for 'entertainment' did not accept credit cards for payment for their services, that's for sure.

"I'm sure a credit card would have been sufficient."

"Yes, you're right, it would be." The drummer winked at her lover. "But no where nearly as dramatic."

The woman pulled out two sets of keys and handed them to the drummer. "Here you go. You are in Suite 21E. Make a left out of the parking lot, and drive all the way to the last stop sign. It's located in the first group of units on the right hand side after the stop sign. Enjoy your stay."

Rebecca turned the key in the handle and opened the door of the unit. "Ooh, this is nice," she commented, pleased with what she saw. She walked all the way in the unit, coming first to the large, clean kitchen. She opened up some of the almond colored cabinets and looked in, noting that the place was fully stocked with everything that they needed to prepare a feast. Not that she was planning on doing any cooking, though, but at least she knew it was there if she changed her mind.

She looked over the half wall that separated the kitchen from the living room and spotted the huge couch and three comfortable looking chairs spread out around the large room. There was a light colored wall unit to match the light, airy coloring of the room. On it was a television, a VCR, and a stereo. She turned the stereo on and groaned, forgetting that country was the music of choice in the area. She flipped through the stations, looking for the Adult Oriented Rock station that she listened to as she was growing up- only to find a Brooks & Dunn tune playing where Led Zeppelin or the Rolling Stones should have been playing. "What the hell happened to my station?" she asked herself sadly.

"Thanks for the help, Rebecca." She was startled by the sound of Jordanna's voice and the wheels on the suitcases hitting the floor in the small foyer by the front door, and she ran to help her lover bring the luggage in.

Jordanna grabbed Rebecca by the shoulder to stop her as she started to walk by her. "I brought it all in already, baby."

"Oh, sorry, Jor."

The drummer quickly scanned the unit with her eyes. "This place looks nice."

Rebecca put her hand on her hip and shook her head. "It better be, for the price you paid for it." She wrapped her arms around the tall woman's waist and gave her a gentle kiss. "Thank you, love."

"For what?"

Rebecca placed another kiss on Jordanna's collarbone. "For everything."

"Mommy, Jor… come look…" Both women turned quickly and looked at Cindy. She was standing in the living room by the sliding glass windows that led to a small deck outside. The view from the deck was of all green pastures, and of a surrounding farm in the distance. "Look at all the horses," Cindy pointed out.

Jordanna unlocked the door and opened it. She picked Cindy up in her arms and went outside. "See all the cows out there, too, Cindy?"

The young girl shook her head. "I don't see them."

Jordanna pointed to the left. "See that red barn way in the back there? The cows are right behind it."

Cindy's eyes followed the direction that Jordanna's hand went. "Oh, yeah! I see them now."

Remaining inside the living room, Rebecca thought she had the best view of them all. The sight of Jordanna and her young daughter together brought tears to her eyes. She knew that her dark-haired lover felt that she had absolutely no maternal instinct whatsoever, and yet here she is proving herself of exactly the opposite. It didn't take Jordanna very long to win over Cindy's affections, and she couldn't be happier about that. She prayed that by the time the weekend was over, her family would be just as accepting of Jordanna.

"What are you thinking about, baby?"

Rebecca snapped out of her daze and looked into the curious clear blue eyes that were studying her own. "You. My family. This weekend."

Jordanna took a deep breath and closed the sliding glass doors behind her. "Oh." She paused for a few moments, then took Rebecca's hand and led her to the couch. "Rebecca?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't expect your family to welcome me with open arms."

Rebecca frowned. "I'm not, Jor."

The drummer pulled Rebecca into her arms and hugged her tight. "I just don't want to see you hurt, baby." She sighed and kissed the top of the reporter's head. "I don't like being the wedge that's come between you and your family. It hurts me to know that I'm the cause."

Rebecca was amazed at the tremendous growth that Jordanna had shown in the few months that they knew each other. She wondered if Jordanna could see it, but somehow she doubted it. In Rebecca's eyes, Jordanna certainly didn't show any signs of being the same woman that earned the terrible reputation that followed her.

"Can I watch TV, Mommy?"

Rebecca got up and turned the TV on for her daughter, handed the young girl the remote, and watched as Cindy flipped through the channels. Cindy smiled when she found the Cartoon Network, and propped her small body up to get comfortable in the large chair that seemed to swallow her whole.

The reporter turned to look at the drummer, and noticed the content smile on her face as she watched the Tasmanian Devil goofing around on the screen. "Are you happy, Jor?"

Jordanna closed her eyes at the question and sighed. "Very," she answered sincerely, and pulled Rebecca into her arms. "Do you have to give your brother a call, or what?"

"Yeah." Rebecca unwillingly extracted herself from the cozy arms of her lover, and went to use the phone in the unit. "I have to find out what time the rehearsal is tonight." She dialed the number to her parent's home and sighed when the answering machine picked up. Feeling slightly uncomfortable, she left a brief message for Ryan, and scrambled to find the phone number for him to call her back. She hung up the phone and went back to the couch. "No one is home."

Jordanna raised an eyebrow, and wrapped her arm around Rebecca's shoulder again. "You look a little relieved about that, actually."

"I am."

"Do you really think someone called and cancelled our reservations at the Hilton?"

Rebecca shrugged. "I'd like to say no, but my gut instinct tells me differently."

"I hope you're wrong, baby."

They sat in each other's embrace for a while, immersed in their own thoughts, as Cindy sat peacefully watching cartoons. "What do you want to do about the sleeping arrangements?" Jordanna broke the calm silence, whispering quietly.

"Let's go take a look at the rooms." Rebecca got up off the couch and went into the generously sized master bedroom first, noticing the king-sized bed that looked lost in the middle of it. She slipped a light on in the bathroom, and smiled at the sight in front of her. "Oh, yeah." The first of two rooms was not a bathroom at all, but a room containing a hot tub. At the far end of the room was the door to the actual bathroom. "Jor?" she screamed out, not realizing her lover was right behind her.

The drummer smirked at her. "Yes?"

"Don't sneak up on me like that!"

"I don't think you would have noticed an elephant coming up behind you, Rebecca."

The reporter gave Jordanna and little smack on the arm. "Did you bring your bathing suit?"

"No, why?" Jordanna shrugged and lifted a brow. "Do I need one to go in a hot tub?"

"No, I guess not. I just think Cindy would like to use it."

"I could use it some other time then, Rebecca. It doesn't have to be a family affair."

Rebecca pouted at that answer.

Jordanna snorted, coming up with a better solution. "Or I can always wear my panties and bra in. It's no different than wearing a bikini, right?"

Rebecca smiled at that answer, liking it much better than the first one. "Well, except for maybe that black thong you own."

Ah… so seeing me in my thong did make an impression on her. The drummer smirked, thinking back to when they first met each other, but she said nothing.

Rebecca looked at her lover, blinking her light lashes at her. "What?"

Jordanna shook her head. "Nothing."

"Yeah, I noticed your thong that day you were in the pool with your harem, okay? How could I not?"

Blue eyes twinkled and the drummer gave Rebecca her lopsided grin, which slowly made its way into a big smile. "I'm sorry I was such a jerk to you when we first met," she quickly said, her smile turning somber.

"Some people would call that your charm, Jordanna."

"Charm?" Jordanna repeated, snorting softly. "What I actually was doing was showing off and acting like an ass because I liked you and wanted to make you jealous." Jordanna couldn't believe she was admitting that little piece of information, even to Rebecca, being that she never flaunted her conquests to make someone jealous before in her life.

But meeting Rebecca changed a lot of things in her life. And for that she couldn't be more thankful.

Rebecca didn't answer Jordanna, but she quietly took her lover's hand and they walked into the second bedroom together to take a look at it. There were two twin beds in the room, separated by a large night table. The room also had a TV and a VCR in it, with it's own bathroom off to the side. "You think Cindy will be afraid to sleep in here alone, baby?"

"No." Rebecca shook her head. "I don't think so. As long as we don't have an electrical storm."

The two women were both startled by the sound of the phone ringing. Rebecca let go of her lover's hand and went to answer it, knowing it would probably be her brother. Jordanna went in the living room and sat down on the couch. She could hear by the tone of Rebecca's voice that whomever was on the phone upset her. She heard Rebecca slam the phone down, and watched the young reporter sit down on one of the dining room table chairs. Jordanna got up and sat down in the chair next to her. She slid her finger under Rebecca's chin and lifted her face so she could see her lover's tear-filled green eyes. "What's wrong?"

"I should have never fucking agreed to this, Jordanna," Rebecca whispered.

"What happened?"

"The rehearsal is at 6:30 tonight, and they are having the dinner right afterwards."

Jordanna narrowed her eyes, not understanding what the problem was. "And?"

"Ryan asked me if Cindy and I would come alone."

"Oh." Jordanna tapped her fingertips on the tabletop. "Actually, baby, I think this is for the best."

"What do you mean for the best?"

The drummer rubbed her throbbing forehead once again, the pressure under her skull becoming even too intense for someone with a high pain tolerance, like her. "I'm getting a migraine."

"Why didn't you say something before?" Rebecca put her hand on Jordanna's forehead, feeling her clammy skin. "You are very pale, love. And you're sweating."

Jordanna shrugged. "It wasn't that bad before. I thought I was just hungry, or something."

"I brought a bottle of Advil with me."

"I think I just need to lay down," Jordanna said, and put her hand on her queasy stomach, hoping that it wouldn't rebel. "The only way my migraines go away is if I get some sleep."

Rebecca went back into the bedroom, pulled her suitcase off the bed and pulled the covers down, revealing crisp, white sheets. She took Jordanna by the arm and led her to the bed, feeling bad for not noticing that her lover was feeling crappy. "Lay down, love."

Jordanna sat on the bed, and started to try to pull her shoes and socks off, but just the simple act of bending down made her feel like her brain was going to explode into million pieces right in the middle of their suite. "I can't," she murmured, and pulled her feet onto the bed, shoes and all, and laid her head down on the pillow, closing her eyes immediately.

"My poor baby." Rebecca ran her hand through Jordanna's damp bangs, and unlaced her sneakers for her. She pulled them off and laid them on the floor next to the bed before slipping each of the drummer's socks off of her feet. "You get some sleep, love," she whispered, pulling the covers up and placing a kiss on Jordanna's lips.

One blue eye popped open, straining to look at her lover. "Thanks, baby. At least try to have a good time tonight."

Rebecca snorted. "Good time? Yeah, right. You feel better, okay?"

"Mm. I'll try."

Rebecca fiddled with the buttons on the Pathfinder's console, trying to figure out how to turn the air conditioner on. After living in New York for almost seven years, she forgot what the Pennsylvania humidity could be like in the early summer. She felt itchy from an annoying piece of long hair that the moist, stagnant air coming in the open window was blowing in her face, and cursed when she couldn't find the A/C. Cindy pushed the button with a picture of a snowflake, and the air immediately kicked on. "It's the one with the snowflake on it, Mommy."

Rebecca smiled at her daughter, and reached over to ruffle the top of Cindy's dark, curly hair. "Thanks, sweetie," she said, and rolled all of the windows up.

She never wished a sickness upon herself, but she was almost envious of Jordanna. She didn't know if it was the still, humid air or the night ahead of her that was making her nauseous, but either way, she wished she was back at the suite attending to her sick lover's needs, or even better, safely at home in Amagansett.

She navigated the back roads of Lancaster as if she had never been gone, surprised at the growth in the area. Housing developments and condominiums popped up here and there, and every once in a while even a fast food restaurant that hadn't been there the last time she was home greeted her.

Spotting the small church that her family attended coming up on the left, she took a deep breath and slowed down, put her left directional on and waited for a stream of oncoming traffic to pass before pulling into the parking lot. There were a few people loitering outside, and Rebecca spotted her younger sister right away. She pulled into an available spot in the back of the lot and got out of the vehicle, helping her quiet daughter climb out of the SUV.

"Aunt Li!" Cindy screamed and ran as soon as she saw Rebecca's younger sister approaching them. The dark-haired McCarthy sister opened her arms and Cindy jumped into them, nearly knocking her down. "Cindy, you got so big since I last saw you," Lisa said, trying to keep herself upright.

"So have you, little sis." Rebecca popped her head out from the side of the car, and walked over to where they were standing. Lisa always took a beating from her older sister because she was a small child, but in the past few years she had a serious growth spurt, and was now an inch or two taller than Rebecca, at least.

Lisa let go of Cindy, stood up to her full height, and wrapped her arms around her older sister. She put her hands on her hips after they finished the hug, and gave Rebecca a menacing glare. "Yeah, you gonna try and call me squirt now, shrimp?" she teased.

"No, I guess I can't call you that anymore, Lisa," the reporter answered, letting out a little chuckle afterward. She watched her younger sister as she looked around, like she was looking for somebody.

"Where's Jordanna?" Lisa finally asked. "I'm kinda excited about meeting her. I've never met a rock star before."

Rebecca took a deep breath and shook her head. "She has a migraine."

"Oh."

"I was asked not to bring her here tonight, anyway."

"What?" Lisa asked, clearly surprised. "By who?"

"Ryan."

"That little piece of shit!" Lisa said as she put her arm around Rebecca's waist and they started to walk toward the church. "Just so you know, I don't share their opinions, Rebecca."

"You don't?" Rebecca asked, slightly relieved that she didn't have to worry about at least one family member.

Lisa ran her hands through her long, dark brown hair. "No. After your relationship with David, I'm glad you found someone that you love, and loves you back. Who really gives a crap what sex that person is as long as you love each other?"

Rebecca stopped walking and looked at her sister. She couldn't believe how grown up and mature she had become. "I wish everyone felt as you do, Lisa."

Lisa pursed her lips, hoping that Rebecca could handle what she was going to be facing during the course of the evening. It didn't take much thought to figure out why Rebecca was asked not to bring Jordanna along. "Rebecca, whatever happens here this weekend, just know that you have our support. We are behind you all the way."

Rebecca narrowed her eyes. "We?"

Lisa shrugged. "Yeah, my boyfriend, Jimmy, and I."

"Boyfriend? Is it serious?"

"Yeah." Lisa smiled brightly, her cheeks turning red from embarrassment. "It is."

"Oh my God!" Rebecca hugged her younger sister again. "That's wonderful! I'm so happy for you. Is he here? I'd like to meet him."

"Yeah, he's inside waiting for us."

Rebecca took the patiently waiting Cindy's hand, and they walked through the front doors of the church. A bunch of younger people that she didn't recognize were standing by the door and they all turned to look at her, Cindy and Lisa. One of the younger guys was immediately by Lisa's side, and took her hand in his. "Rebecca, this is Jimmy, my boyfriend."

Rebecca held her hand out for Jimmy to shake, and was immediately drawn to his blond, military style crew cut and smiling blue eyes. "Hi, Jimmy, very nice to meet you," she said, and let go of his hand. She introduced him to Cindy, who was quietly standing by her side.

"Jordanna's not feeling well," Lisa chimed in, when she noticed that Jimmy also was looking around for someone, like she was earlier.

"You'll both get to meet her tomorrow. She just needed to get a little sleep tonight," Rebecca assured them.

The reporter scanned the room, relieved that her parents were no where to be seen. She was feeling much like she did when she broke her mother's favorite music box as a child, waiting for her absent parents' wrath to come down when they noticed the broken item and found out she was the culprit. Only this time, it was worse. She was older, and the damage, at least in their opinion, was a lot worse than a broken material item could ever be.

She spotted her elderly grandmother sitting in a pew in the front of the church, and walked up to say hello. Her father's mother was slowly losing her memory over the years, and things like names and age were confusing to her. "Hi, Gram," she said to the older woman, and leaned down to give her grandmother a hug and a kiss.

"Becca… you look so grown up," her grandmother chirped. "How old are you now? 15?"

Rebecca snorted and took her grandmother's frail hands. "No, Gram, I'm almost 28 now."

The older woman leaned down and pinched Cindy on the cheek. "And who is this little cutie? Lisa?"

Lisa rolled her eyes at Rebecca, who tried to hold in a smirk. "No, Gram, Lisa is the tall woman standing behind me." She put her hand on Cindy's shoulder. "This is my little girl, Cynthia. She's 5 years old."

Confusion flashed on the old woman's face. "You have a child? Are you married?"

"Divorced," she explained, and looked up when she heard her brother calling her name. He was waving her over to where he was standing. "It's so good to see you again, Gram. I'll talk to you later, okay?" She gave her grandmother another kiss and started walking over to where her brother was standing. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him a hug, which she could tell he was a little hesitant to return. "Ryan," she said, with a bit of a chill in her voice.

He shifted from foot to foot, looked around the room and then spoke. "We need you to sign something in the back room, Rebecca."

She didn't like the feeling she was getting, and asked Lisa if she would watch Cindy for her while she went with Ryan to the back room. Immediately regretting it when she walked through the door and saw the priest and her serious looking parents sitting in the room, everything in her told her to turn around and run as fast as she could.

But she stood her ground, ready for battle. "Mom, Dad… Father Harris," she said in greeting, and leaned her back against the wall by the door.

"Hello, Rebecca," the priest said, fiddling with his collar. "Would you like a seat?"

"No, thank you. I'd rather stand."

"Well," he said, and sat down in the seat he offered. He cleared his throat and then began to speak. "I'm sure you have a bit of an idea why your parents asked you to come in here and talk, don't you?"

Rebecca crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes, I believe I do," she said, feeling her blood pressure begin to rise. "Because I'm living with a woman, is that correct?"

The man played with his collar some more, and cleared his throat again. "Yes, that is correct, Rebecca. Do you know what the Bible says about hom…"

She held up her hand, making it obvious that she didn't want him to speak any more. "With all due respect, Father, I believe this is something private that I should be discussing with my family, and my family alone."

He turned and looked at her parents, who were sitting very quietly. They both nodded their heads in agreement, and the priest got up to leave the room. "I'll leave you to your talk," he said, and closed the door behind him.

Rebecca crossed the room quickly and stood directly in front of her parents. "How DARE you?" she growled at them, quickly repeating herself. "How dare you embarrass me like that, in front of Father Harris, no less?"

"Isn't it enough that you cancelled our reservations at the Hilton, or told Ryan to tell me that Jordanna was not welcome here tonight?" she continued, pacing back and forth in front of her parents trying to gather her thoughts. "Why in the hell are you doing this?"

Rebecca's mother stood up and put her hand on Rebecca's arm, trying to calm her down. Rebecca pulled away, and walked to the other side of the room. "We did it because we love you, Rebecca. We don't want you to ruin your life. Your… association… with that woman… goes against everything we taught you, Rebecca. You are walking with the antichrist. Walking the path straight to hell. Is that what you really want?"

"No, I most certainly do not want to go to hell but I…"

"You've never shown an interest in women before, Rebecca." Her father spoke up for the first time of the night.

Rebecca shrugged her shoulders. "Do you think I would have actually told you that I find myself attracted to women? But you are right; I never did have an interest before. Meeting Jordanna changed all that."

"But what about David? What about Scott?" her mother asked, reminding her of the men in her life.

Rebecca walked to a small window in the room to avoid the looks on both of her parents' faces. "What about them?"

"David is your husband and the father of your child, or has meeting this woman made you forget that?"

"David is not…" Rebecca caught herself as she started to tell her parents that David is not Cindy's father and spun around quickly. "David and I have been divorced for well over a year now, Mom!"

"Scott is still single."

Rebecca sighed heavily. "How many times do I have to tell you that I am not interested in him, Mom?"

"But you were going to marry him, Rebecca," her mother argued.

"No, damn it! You wanted me to marry him. I had absolutely no intentions of marrying him."

"I've done a little homework on your new girlfriend, Rebecca." Rebecca's father got up and stood next to her. "The woman is just using you."

"Using me? What in the hell do you possibly think she would be using me for?" Rebecca punched the wall with her fist, and shook it immediately, after the throbbing started.

Her father nodded, and she noticed how gray his light blond hair had become. "According to what I've read about your… girlfriend, she goes through a woman a night while she's on tour. She's been physically and emotionally abusive to all of the women she's slept with, and to top it off, spits them out like dirty laundry once she's finished with them."

Rebecca shook her head. "So, think about what you are saying, Dad! I'm not going to lie and say that some of that isn't true. Jordanna has her demons, just like the rest of us do. She's a beautiful woman. She's rich, famous and has women… and men… falling at her feet all of the time. Do you really think someone like her needs to come to someone like me for sex?" She shrugged her shoulders. "Jordanna doesn't need another bed partner. What Jordanna needs, and what she gets from me is unconditional love."

Both of her parents remained quiet, hoping that Rebecca was telling them in her own way that she hadn't slept with Jordanna yet. Rebecca took the moment of quiet opportunity to continue. "If she was the terrible woman you are talking about, don't you think she would have spit me out after the first time we made love? Asking me to permanently move in with her is a far cry from spitting me out!"

Her mother sat down next to her and spoke. "What about your daughter, Rebecca?" she asked, tears now streaming down her face.

"What about her?" Rebecca shot back quickly. She never would have believed that her parents were as ignorant as they were proving they were to her at the moment.

Her mother swallowed unconsciously. "What kind of an example are you setting for her, living with that woman? Does Cindy know you sleep together?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but, yes, as a matter of fact, Cindy does know that we sleep together, Mom. She absolutely adores Jordanna, and vice versa," Rebecca said quietly. "And don't you dare say a word to Cindy to try and turn her against Jordanna."

"I think your daughter will suffer enough humiliation as she gets older and the children pick on her because her mother is different, don't you think?" Her mother sighed and cleared her throat again. "We don't condone your relationship, but it is your life and you can do what you want with it," her mother said, seeing that nothing they could say to their daughter would sway her. "Just know that that woman is not welcome in our home. Your father and I are not blind, Rebecca. We know that gay people exist. We just don't want to have to see it being flaunted in our faces, especially by our own daughter."

Rebecca stood up and walked to the door. "Well, I would never deprive Cindy of her grandparent's love, but until you see the light and accept the fact that Jordanna and I simply love each other, then I guess we have nothing to say to each other anymore," she said angrily, and walked out the door. She leaned her back on the wall next to the door and let out the tears that wanted to fall the whole time she was in that room. She wished Jordanna were there with her, because she needed her lover's strong shoulder to cry on, and her unfailing support to get her through the rest of the night.

Rebecca heard Lisa's voice and looked up and saw her standing there. Cindy was talking away with Lisa's boyfriend, Jimmy, on the other side of the church. "What happened?" her sister asked.

Rebecca looked at Cindy and Jimmy. "Do you think Jimmy would mind watching her a little longer, Li?"

Lisa shook her head. "He loves children, and as you can see, the children love him."

Rebecca put her hand on her sister's shoulder. "You picked a good one, then. Sounds like he'll make a great father someday."

"Yeah. You wanna go outside and talk?" Lisa looked at her watch. "This thing doesn't start for another 15 minutes or so."

"Sounds good to me," Rebecca said. "I need to get some fresh air, anyway."

They walked to the side of the small, white church, and sat down at one of the three wooden picnic tables that were set up outside. "So," Lisa said, and hesitated. "What, um, what did they want?"

Rebecca frowned. "Obviously, they are not happy with the fact that I live with Jordanna." She sighed. "You knew that they were going to try to talk me out of my relationship, didn't you?"

Lisa nodded. "I've actually voiced my opinion regarding your relationship with her, so they've been very secretive around me, Rebecca. I knew they were discussing something important, but every time I would walk in the room, they'd shut up quickly. I figured they would say something to you, though."

"Lisa." Rebecca closed her eyes and took a deep breath of the humid air, feeling perspiration begin to build a bit. "They can't seem to understand that I love Jordanna, and that she loves me. Yes, she has a lot of demons to deal with, I'm not going to lie about that, but she's willing to face them head on, for me. No, actually, she's willing to face them for us."

"So, all that we've read about her is true?" Lisa asked curiously.

"Most of it, yeah," Rebecca admitted. "She's slept with more women than anyone I've ever met, except for maybe Gene Simmons from Kiss," she added with a chuckle, as she thought about the many pleasurable uses of his extra-long tongue. "I even saw her in action when I first met her."

Lisa's eyes opened wide. "You did?"

"Yeah," Rebecca blushed. "I walked in on her and a fan."

"That must have been very embarrassing!" Lisa laughed out loud. "What were they doing, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Lisa!"

"What?" her sister asked as a blush began to grow on her face. "I'm just kinda curious how two women… you know, that's all."

Rebecca shook her head. "Do not say anything to her, she'll kill me if she knew I told someone."

Lisa ran her fingers across her lips, pretending she was zipping them shut. "I won't say a word to anyone."

Rebecca leaned forward and whispered. "The fan was going down on her."

Lisa cocked her head to the side, looking very much like she didn't understand what Rebecca meant.

Rebecca took a deep breath and sighed. "For Christ's sake, Lisa! The fan was eating her out, all right?" she said loudly. She slapped her hand over her mouth and looked around the church grounds, thankful that no one was around to hear her.

"Oh," Lisa said shyly. "Has she ever…"

"Yes," Rebecca whispered, knowing what her sister was going to ask.

"Have you?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"It's a give and take relationship, Lisa. I have never been so satisfied, sexually, as I have been since I met Jordanna. She makes me feel loved and appreciated, unlike David. He was extremely selfish in the sex department. I used to go down on him, but he downright refused to go down on me." She looked up and realized that she was spilling her guts about her sex life to Lisa.

Her baby sister.

At a church.

"What?" Lisa asked, noticing Rebecca's discomfort. "Rebecca, it's not like I'm a virgin or anything. So don't worry about it."

"I know." Rebecca cracked a smile and laughed a bit. "It just seems funny to talk about this with you, you know?"

"Yeah," Lisa agreed. "It's nice, though… to be able to talk to you like an adult. And I'm very happy that you are so happy with your life, Becky. Jordanna must be very special. I'm very much looking forward to meeting her."

"I'm sure you'll like her." Rebecca got up from the table and started to walk back inside. "C'mon, they'll be looking for us."

*****

"Are you sure she won't get mad that I came back with you for a while?" Lisa asked Rebecca, as they carried some of the plastic bags filled with groceries up the stairs leading to their suite.

"If she's still not feeling well, then I'll drive you home, Li." Rebecca opened the door and heard the television blaring from the living room. "I guess she got up," she said, and motioned Cindy and Lisa to walk into the suite quietly. Rebecca saw Jordanna lying on the couch, sleeping. "Shhh, she's asleep."

They put all of the grocery bags on the small kitchen table, and Rebecca put the perishable items in the refrigerator. "Mmm," she said, as she put the pint of Cherry Garcia into the freezer. "I can't wait to dig into this baby later." She looked at her sleepy daughter, who immediately plopped her tired body on a kitchen chair. "Lisa, would you mind giving Cindy a bath and getting her ready for bed?" She pointed to the door right across from the kitchen. "That's her bedroom."

"Sure." Lisa took Cindy's hand and started to walk with her to the bedroom, but glanced quickly at the sleeping woman in the living room just to satisfy her curiosity. She couldn't really get a good look at her, but she could see that Jordanna's long, jet-black hair was up in a ponytail, and she noticed the incredibly long legs stretched out across the couch. She helped Cindy with her bath, and then tucked her into bed.

"I want to say goodnight to Jor, Aunt Li."

"Jor?"

Rebecca, who was standing in the doorway watching, answered. "She has trouble saying Jordanna's name." She walked to the bed and gave Cindy a kiss on her forehead. "Jor is sleeping, honey. I'll tell her you said goodnight, okay?"

Cindy nodded. "Tell her I love her, too."

Rebecca gave her daughter an extra long hug. "I will, sweetie." She walked to the door, turned the light off and snapped the night light on. "Goodnight, pipsqueak."

"Goodnight, Mommy, Aunt Li."

Rebecca and Lisa walked into the living room, and the reporter turned the sound on the television down. "Have a seat," she whispered, and pointed to one of the chairs before sitting on the couch next to her sleeping lover.

She looked at the peacefully sleeping dark-haired woman, and was happy that she had some color in her face. She looked up, and saw Lisa staring at Jordanna. "Wow, so that's Jordanna Fox, huh?"

Rebecca smiled at her sister's fascination. "Yeah," she said, and ran her fingers through Jordanna's dark bangs. "That's my Jordanna."

"What's it like dating a rock star?"

Rebecca laughed. "She's just a human being, Lisa. She breathes, eats, shits, and sleeps, just like everyone else."

"Lies," the subject of their conversation murmured in a sleep filled, raspy voice. "That's all lies," the drummer repeated, and opened her eyes slowly.

Rebecca ran her hand along Jordanna's cheek. "You're awake."

"Yeah," Jordanna snorted. She sat up straight and got a good look at Lisa, and realized that the only resemblance she could see between her and Rebecca would be their green eye color. "Don't believe for a minute that I actually do any of those things your sister said myself, I have a staff that takes care of things like that for me," she teased the younger girl, and Rebecca elbowed her arm.

Rebecca put her hand on Jordanna's forehead to see if she was still warm. "I guess you are feeling better, love?"

"Mmm, yeah," Jordanna purred, thankful that her brain no longer felt like it was going to explode. "Quite a bit, thanks."

Rebecca narrowed her eyes. "How did you know that this is my sister? I didn't introduce you."

"Rebecca… you should know by now," Jordanna said, and shook her head. "I have many skills." The drummer smiled and held out her hand to Rebecca's younger sister. "Very nice to meet you, Lisa."

Lisa nodded and let go of her hand. "You, too." She found herself lost in Jordanna's incredibly blue eyes, like most people do when they first meet the drummer. She was amazed that they were even bluer than they seemed in photos and on the television screen.

"So, how did it go tonight?" Jordanna asked.

Rebecca took a deep breath and lowered her eyes, remaining quiet. Jordanna lifted Rebecca's chin up with her fingertips. "Baby? What's wrong? What happened?"

Lisa cleared her throat, noticing Rebecca's resistance to talk about the night. "Ryan tricked her into one of the offices at the church. My parents and Father Harris tried to talk some sense into her regarding your relationship."

Jordanna shook her head and put her arm around Rebecca, pulling her close. "I'm so sorry, baby," she whispered soothingly, and placed a kiss on the top of Rebecca's head. She felt Rebecca's tears on the bare skin her tank top didn't cover, and felt like crying herself.

Jordanna locked eyes with Lisa, who was studying the interaction between her and Rebecca intently. She shook her head in sadness and disgust and wiped some of the tears from Rebecca's face. "Baby?"

"Mm?" Rebecca mumbled, in between the last of her sobs.

"Remember when we first discussed getting involved with each other and I said that there would be times when things would not be that pleasant for us?"

Rebecca nodded.

"Well, this is one of those times," Jordanna pointed out, cracking a small smile for Rebecca's sake.

"I know. I just didn't expect it to come from my own family."

"They are hurt, Rebecca. Give them a little time, okay?"

Rebecca sat up straight, slightly embarrassed that she lost control of her emotions like that. "You knew this was going to happen, didn't you?"

The drummer pursed her lips and nodded. "Rebecca, you know my family situation and that they weren't there for me as a child." Jordanna absentmindedly ran her fingers across Rebecca's stomach, getting a pleased purr in response. "So yeah, I figured as much."

Lisa looked everywhere but at her sister and her new girlfriend, trying her hardest to give them the privacy they needed. Her eyes finally focused on a book that was laying open on the coffee table in front of the couch entitled 'She Has a Secret- Understanding Female Sexual Addiction.' Jordanna saw Rebecca's sister looking at the book and locked eyes with her, and then averted her eyes quickly by turning to look at Rebecca, who also noticed what Lisa was looking at.

Lisa stood up and stretched. "Um, Rebecca, I guess I better get going. We do have a wedding to go to tomorrow."

"Yeah, okay," Rebecca replied, and picked up the keys to the Pathfinder. "I'll be right back, Jor."

Jordanna nodded her head, thankful that Lisa didn't question her about the book. She stood up and followed the two sisters out the door. "It was nice meeting you, Lisa. See you tomorrow."

"See you, Jordanna," the younger girl said, and got into the passenger side of the Pathfinder. Jordanna stood in the door until the vehicle was out of sight, went back into the unit and checked up on Cindy, who was sleeping peacefully with her stuffed Eeyore cradled in her arms.

**

Lisa rolled the passenger side window down for some air. "I like her a lot, Becky," she said, answering the question that Rebecca was silently asking since they took off from the resort.

"Good," Rebecca sighed. "I'm glad that someone in this family does."

"It's obvious that she loves you very much. I can see it in her eyes."

"Mmm, yeah, she does," Rebecca mumbled.

They sat quietly as Rebecca drove on the dark back roads that led to her childhood home. Lisa contemplated asking the question she was dying to ask. "Rebecca?"

"Hmm?"

"Those demons you mentioned that Jordanna had…"

"Yes, she does have an addiction, Lisa."

Lisa let out a deep breath. "How'd you know I was going to ask you that?"

"Because I saw you looking at the book that was laying on the coffee table," she answered immediately. "I saw the book at the bookstore, and I bought it for her to read so she can see that she's not alone in her addiction. I read the whole thing the first night I bought it, but I didn't know she's been reading it because she seemed reluctant to pick it up. I'm glad that she is, though."

"She saw me looking at the book, too," Lisa said, and shifted in her seat. "She looked embarrassed. I didn't know if I should have said anything to her, so I just kept my mouth shut."

Rebecca turned her head briefly to look at Lisa, but then focused her eyes back on the road. "She's not very proud of the things that she's done in the past. But she's working hard on overcoming it, and I know she can do it."

"Doesn't it bother you?"

"Does it bother me?" Rebecca tapped her fingertips on the steering wheel a few times and then answered the question. "Yes, it does bother me a bit. I'm not naïve, Lisa. I know, because of her addiction, that there's a very good possibility that she could end up in another woman's bed." She sighed. "But, I love her, and I absolutely trust in her love for me."

"She's very lucky to have found you."

"No, Lisa, I'm the lucky one."

"Then you're very lucky to have found each other."

Rebecca turned off the main road, and pulled down the side road that led to her parent's farm. She could see the lights on in the house in the distance, and her stomach started to churn. She pulled up in front of the house, kissed Lisa on the cheek and they said their goodnights. After she was sure Lisa was safely in the house, she quickly backed the Pathfinder up, and drove faster than she probably should have been driving on the narrow, dirt road to put as much distance between her past and her present as she possibly could.

**

Having read her fill of facts on her addiction for the day, Jordanna set the book down and picked up the remote control for the television. Not knowing what channels were the main ones, she flipped through each and every one looking for the 11:00 newscast. Finally finding one, she set the remote down and stretched out on the couch, put her arms behind her head and stuck her feet up on the coffee table to get comfortable.

She looked up when she heard the door of the unit opening, and watched as Rebecca walked through the door. The sad and confused look on Rebecca's face broke her heart. "Baby, what happened?" the drummer asked immediately, turned the television off and got up to be near her lover.

"Nothing," Rebecca answered as she hung both hers and Cindy's bridesmaid gowns on a hook behind the door, and then slid into Jordanna's open arms.

The drummer narrowed her eyes at her verbally unresponsive lover. "Rebecca, something is bothering you. Please talk to me."

The reporter shrugged indifferently. "It's just… Jordanna?"

"Hmm?" Jordanna answered, and kissed Rebecca on the top of her head.

"Are you feeling better, love?"

The drummer took a deep breath, confused by her lover's emotions and words. "Much."

"Then take me to bed, please?" Rebecca asked, and no sooner felt herself being scooped up by strong arms and carried into the master bedroom. Jordanna gently lay her down on the bed, and then settled herself next to Rebecca. She ran her hand through the reporter's long, golden tresses and then kissed her on the cheek.

Concerned blue eyes locked with green. "Please tell me what's wrong first, baby. Did you see your parents again?"

Rebecca shook her head.

"Did Lisa say something to hurt you?"

Rebecca shook her head again and a tear ran down her cheek. "I just wish this whole thing was over and we were back in New York."

Jordanna propped her elbow up on the bed and leaned on it. "This is about what your parents did at the church, isn't it?"

Rebecca pushed the drummer onto her back, climbed onto her and straddled Jordanna's stomach. "Yes," she answered angrily, and pulled Jordanna's tank top over her head, revealing her tight stomach and bare, attentive breasts. The reporter ran her fingertips around Jordanna's belly button and the drummer wiggled around slightly, letting Rebecca know she was just a bit ticklish in that spot. "Why don't you get a navel ring, love?"

"I don't want one."

"But they are so sexy," Rebecca answered, this time running her fingertip along the thin red scar under Jordanna's ribcage. "This doesn't hurt anymore, does it?"

"No."

"Good." Rebecca bent down and kissed the scar she was tracing with her fingers. "I don't like it when you hurt."

Jordanna grabbed both of Rebecca's hands. "I don't like it when you hurt either, baby, now please talk to me about what happened with your parents."

Rebecca bent down again and tugged on a nipple ring with her tongue, knowing all too well what that does for Jordanna's libido. "I don't want to talk right now, Jor. I just want you to love me."

Jordanna sat up and Rebecca wrapped her legs around the drummer's waist, moaning softly when the dark-haired woman pulled her closer and leaned in for a gentle kiss. "I always love you, baby." She ran her hand across Rebecca's cheek and narrowed her eyes, hoping that the reporter would open up to her about her feelings. "Please tell me what they said."

Rebecca lightly ran her fingernails up and down Jordanna's bare back, and watched as the drummer shivered with pleasure. "Jordanna?"

"Hmm?"

"If I was one of your tour whores, would we be talking right now?" Rebecca whispered into her lover's ear.

Jordanna closed her eyes and swallowed once. "No," she answered quietly. "We definitely wouldn't be talking."

Rebecca leaned forward and whispered once again. "Would I be naked?"

The drummer swallowed a few more times and answered, feeling the reporter's hands begin to caress her bare breasts. "Yes, you would."

"Would you be fucking me?"

What in the hell is she trying to do to me? Jordanna answered the question with her eyes first, as a lustful desire began to fill them and that all too familiar throbbing began between her legs. "Yes."

Rebecca ran her tongue along the inside of Jordanna's ear. "Then consider me one of your tour whores right now and treat me like you would treat one of them."

Jordanna felt her heart begin to pound rapidly at Rebecca's request, and closed her eyes, wondering whether it would hurt her recovery if she went along with what Rebecca wanted or not. She also wondered why her lover was asking her to do what she was asking.

Rebecca looked up at the drummer, pleading with her eyes, so absorbed in her own self pity to notice that Jordanna was fighting with her inner self over her request. "Please?"

The drummer sighed as she made her decision, and stood up with Rebecca still firmly wrapped around her waist, and turned around, not so gently dropping the reporter onto her back on the bed. She pulled off her own sweatpants with one swift pull, leaving her naked in front of Rebecca at the edge of the bed. She held her hand out to the reporter. "Get up."

Rebecca took Jordanna's hand and did as she was told. She watched as the drummer got on the bed, climbed up and sat on the windowsill just above the headboard, making the vertical blinds behind her sway from the movement. The drummer crooked her finger at Rebecca, wanting her to come closer. "C'mere."

A fully clothed Rebecca climbed up on the bed and kneeled in front of Jordanna, who slowly spread her legs apart, letting Rebecca know what was expected of her. "C'mon, baby, you said you wanted me to treat you like one of them," the drummer said in that low, throaty voice that drove the reporter wild, and lifted a dark brow at Rebecca. "Now, get to work."

Rebecca smiled, and moved closer to her lover, teasing her with slow, torturous touches on every part of Jordanna's body except where she wanted to be touched. "Don't fuck around with me, Rebecca," the drummer snarled, and pushed her lover's head down in between her legs. "Just do it, baby." Jordanna closed her eyes and gave into the moment, all the while giving herself a pep talk. She knew making Rebecca happy was her biggest priority in life, but at what cost?

Rebecca shivered as she felt a million bolts of electricity jolt her body. Something about the way Jordanna spoke turned her on more than anything or anyone in her life had ever before, and she let the drummer know that by giving her what she wanted as she stroked the dark-haired woman's wet sex firmly with her tongue. Rebecca kept up her rhythmic pace, and Jordanna arched her back as her hips started to leave the windowsill, signaling the beginning of her release. When she arched her back, she slammed the back of her head hard on the window itself, almost breaking the glass and knocking her out.

She began to laugh, and pulled the kneeling reporter up so that they were face to face. Jordanna claimed Rebecca's mouth with a kiss, tasting the fresh remnants of her own pleasure as she did so. "God, I taste good," she said in a voice dripping with lust, and kissed Rebecca once more before she slid off the windowsill and back down onto the bed.

Jordanna rubbed the back of her now throbbing head, and pulled Rebecca into her arms. The reporter ran her hands along the drummer's hard biceps as they lay there quietly.

"Rebecca?"

"Mm?" the reporter answered, completely satisfied with what just happened between the two of them. "Yeah?"

"Don't ever ask me to do that to you again," Jordanna said, completely serious.

"Huh?"

"You are not my whore, or anybody's whore for that matter. Don't ask me to treat you like one." A tear streamed down Jordanna's cheek. "Ever again."

Rebecca caught the tear with her finger. "Didn't you like it?"

"Yes," Jordanna answered immediately. "A little too much. It was a little too familiar for me."

A light bulb went on and Rebecca suddenly realized what she just asked of Jordanna. "Oh my God, love. I am so sorry." She kissed Jordanna on her collarbone. "I didn't even think about your addiction."

"I know you didn't, baby." Jordanna said, and wiped the last of the tears from her face. "But there is a way you can make it up to me."

Rebecca turned her body slightly and looked at Jordanna. "How?"

"Get undressed, join me in this nice, warm bed and tell me what happened that upset you so much."

Rebecca slid out of Jordanna's arms and stood up. "I think I can handle that," she responded, and went into the bathroom to get ready for bed. A few minutes later, she walked out of the bathroom, pulled off her robe and joined Jordanna in the bed. The drummer waited for her to snuggle up next to her as they always did every night, and she placed small kisses all over Rebecca's shoulders, arms, and face. "Talk to me, baby."

Rebecca opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again, letting out a little sobbing noise. "Ryan told me that he needed me to sign something in the office, so like an ass, I went in with him. My parents were sitting in the room with Father Harris, waiting for me. Jordanna, I just felt like they wanted to perform a exorcism on me or something."

Jordanna pulled Rebecca as close as she possibly could without suffocating her, and just sat silent, rubbing her hand up and down Rebecca's side for comfort.

"Father Harris started to tell me what the Bible says about homosexuality, but I stopped him. I told him that it was a private matter that I felt I needed to discuss with my parents alone. I was so angry at them for doing that." Tears began to fall as Rebecca explained what happened. "My mother told me that I am walking with the antichrist, and that you are, in no uncertain terms, not welcome into their life."

"I'm sorry," Jordanna responded with a sigh, but she was enjoying the way Rebecca had taken to running her fingertips across the thin scar from her operation.

"My father tried to convince me that you were just using me for sex, and told me some of the stuff he read about you."

Jordanna shook her head. She pretty much knew that Rebecca didn't believe that was the truth, but she hoped it didn't put some doubts in her mind. "You know that's not true, right?"

"Of course, I know it." Rebecca continued running her fingertip all over Jordanna's stomach, breasts, and neck. "I just don't like people talking shit about you. Especially my own family."

"Rebecca, I'm used to people talking shit about me. Don't get yourself all upset over it. I made my own bed, baby." She leaned down and kissed Rebecca tenderly on the lips. "This is to be expected."

"I expected them to be upset, I just didn't expect them to downright forbid me to bring you into their life, which indirectly tells me I'm not welcome, either." Rebecca sighed.

"How did you leave off with them?"

"I told them that I would never punish Cindy by depriving her of her Grandparents love, but until they can accept our bond, I have nothing further to discuss with them," she said, and continued with her fingertip torture by tracing around Jordanna's nipples. "Do you think that they can change?"

The drummer took a deep breath before she spoke. "With time, they might change, Rebecca. Just give them some time, and cut them some slack. You are their firstborn daughter and they love you. I'm sure, as most normal parents do, they want what's best for you. They just don't agree with your choice of what that is."

"I just wish they would take the time to get to know you. I know that they would change their minds."

"Rebecca, they see me through different eyes as you. Remember how you felt about me when we first met?"

The reporter snorted. "Yeah, I thought you were a pig."

"What changed that?"

"I took the time to get to know you."

"Exactly."

"Mm," Rebecca said, as she fought to keep her eyes open. "I guess you are right. All good things come to those that wait, right?"

"Right." Jordanna reached over and turned out the light, as she felt her now relaxed lover nodding off. "Goodnight, baby."

Rebecca moved slightly, and placed a half-asleep kiss on Jordanna's arm. "Night, love."

 Jordanna couldn't believe she was nervous. Not just nervous, but very nervous. She chuckled, realizing that her stomach was doing more flips just walking into the small church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, than it did when she played in front of thousands of people onstage.

She knew that her relationship with Rebecca, and not the wedding, was the main topic of conversation for the day. She couldn't help but notice the looks of disgust she was receiving from most of the older guests, besides the subtle pointing and whispering that was going on all around her. She could pick up traces of conversation as she walked into the church, and chuckled when she heard the words 'Rebecca's lady friend' more than once.

Her eyes scanned the small, sparsely decorated church after taking a seat in the last pew on the groom's side. The church's airy white exterior was a stark contrast to it's dark, all hard wood interior, and Jordanna couldn't help but be reminded of the church that the Ingalls' family attended regularly on one of her favorite television shows from when she was growing up, 'Little House on the Prairie.'

The only difference was, the prairie folk seemed to be a quite a bit friendlier than the guests at Rebecca's brother's wedding.

She wasn't surprised.

A group of tuxedo clad young men made their way out from the back of the church, and a few of them began to escort some of the female guests to their seats. Jordanna watched one young man, sporting blond hair and a bowl haircut, as he walked two women, whom she assumed were the bride's mother and grandmother, to the front of the church.

'What a goober,' she thought, as the young man walked by her again, to escort someone else in. She recognized Rebecca's brother, Ryan, immediately. Short blond hair, warm green eyes, and the same shy smile as her lover, Ryan was the picture of Rebecca. He paced back and forth in front of the altar nervously, only stopping mid-stride when he caught sight of her. His warm green eyes quickly turned cold and hard as he recognized the woman who, in his opinion, must have seduced his sister with her good looks, fame and money to get into her bed.

She narrowed her eyes and smiled wickedly, giving Rebecca's brother a taste of the menacing glare that she was almost as famous for as her trademark leather pants, or her sexual conquests. They sized each other up, and Jordanna enjoyed the angry glare she was receiving from him. 'That's right, I'm the woman that's sleeping with your older sister, kid,' she thought briefly, mentally chastising herself for the childish thoughts she was thinking; and in the middle of a church, no less.

She thought about that, and turned to look in the back of the room, noticing the doors to the confessionals. She almost started to laugh out loud when she thought of the poor priest that would have to listen to her if she ever decided that she wanted to confess her sins.

They'd probably have to call 911 to revive the man from a shock-induced heart attack.

Jordanna followed the eyes of the rest of the guests as they turned to look at the couple walking through the door. Her defenses went up, and she knew that the short man with graying hair and the even shorter blonde woman he escorted in the door were Rebecca's parents. They both looked at her as they walked by, and quickly turned their heads away from her blue gaze.

They were barely in their seats when the organ music started, and everyone stood up to face the back of the church. Jordanna smiled when she saw Cindy standing in her little flowered dress, in the doorway in the front of the bridal party lineup. Cindy smiled brightly at Jordanna when she caught sight of her on her slow trek down the aisle, taking her flower girl job seriously by throwing various colored rose petals down on the runner with each step she took.

Jordanna didn't recognize the first couple to walk down the aisle, and turned to look in the back of the room again after quickly losing interest in them. Lisa and her boyfriend, Jimmy, were next in the lineup, and were waiting for their queue to begin their trek down the aisle. She also smiled at them as they walked by, and Lisa returned it with a friendly one of her own, before nudging her boyfriend to look in Jordanna's direction, so he could get a look at the rock star in their midst.

The drummer turned once again, and her heart lurched at the breathtaking sight. The late afternoon sun was streaming through the front door of the church, outlining Rebecca in the bright, golden light. Standing next to her was the young man with the bowl haircut, nervously waiting their turn to walk down the aisle. She almost laughed out loud as she realized that the bowl headed goober was the farm boy that Rebecca's parents expected her to marry, and become their son-in-law.

They were in for a real rude awakening if Rebecca accepted her marriage proposal.

She couldn't keep her eyes off of her beautiful lover, who flashed a sexy smile that she knew could only be for her as she walked by. At that moment, Jordanna made a silent promise to Rebecca, and to herself, that the next time she saw the beautiful reporter walking down an aisle would be at her own wedding.

At their wedding.

She watched Rebecca throughout the whole ceremony, and agreed with the reporter, who complained about her dress the whole morning as they were getting ready. The white dress with tiny yellow and blue flowers had to be the most hideous dress that she had ever seen in her life, and the huge bow on the back of it did nothing to compliment the dress. She guessed that it did do its intended job though, and made the bride's dress look so much more beautiful than the bridesmaid's dresses did.

Even in the hideous flowery dress, Rebecca was the most beautiful vision in the world to her.

She was completely startled out of her lengthy thoughts when the bride and groom walked down the aisle past her, and she got a real good look at Catherine, Ryan's new wife, for the first time. The other members of the bridal party quickly followed behind them, and they stood at the door greeting the guests on their way out. Rebecca found her and introduced her to everyone in the bridal party, including her parents, who couldn't look her straight in the face.

"I'll meet you at the hall," the drummer said to Rebecca as they walked out in front of the church. "You should be inside with everyone else."

"I know," Rebecca said, and ran her hand along Jordanna's arm. "Do you remember the directions I told you?"

The drummer nodded. "Yeah, I do." She leaned down, further than she was used having to lean because of the heels she was wearing, and gave Rebecca a quick kiss. "I'll see you there," she said, and started to walk to the Pathfinder. Rebecca stood in front of the church and watched her walk, admiring the sexy, low cut, electric blue dress Jordanna was wearing, showing off all of the drummer's assets and her incredibly long legs.

A large crowd gathered around the buffet table in the dimly lit reception room at the VFW hall, and the guests filled their small plates with various appetizers during the cocktail hour. Skipping the food, Jordanna opted to head straight to the bar when she arrived at the hall. She stood waiting for the far too happy bartender to get her the drink she ordered, and then left a tip for him. She took a long pull from her icy bottle of Budweiser, and made her way through the crowds of people to the table that Rebecca's family saw fit to sit her at.

The last table.

In the back of the room.

As far from Rebecca as they could possibly seat her without setting up a table in the parking lot.

She walked up to the table, and eyed the three empty chairs in between three blue haired couples, and an older, lone woman sitting at the table. The woman looked up at her and smiled. "Sit down, honey," she said in a voice raspy with age, motioning to the chair next to her.

Jordanna reluctantly sat down, and straightened out her dress, thinking about how badly she wanted to take it off. She looked at the intrigued woman with the faded green eyes looking back at her. "You're Rebecca's friend, aren't you?" the woman asked.

Jordanna cleared her throat. "Yes, I'm, um… here with Rebecca."

The older woman smiled again, enhancing the crow's feet that framed her eyes. "I'm Rebecca's Aunt Grace." She poked her fork into a small piece of cheddar cheese on her plate and nibbled on it. "Everyone is being a little less than friendly to you, huh?"

Jordanna swallowed the beer that she just sipped and put the bottle down on the table. "You can say that, yeah."

"Don't let them get to you." Grace patted Jordanna's hand with her own. "It was just a very big shock for the family when they found out."

The drummer nodded her understanding. "I'm sure it was."

"She was such a sweet girl as a child," the woman said absently.

Jordanna felt her temper beginning to flare, and it reflected in her voice. "She still is a sweet girl, ma'am. That hasn't changed."

"Oh, no, honey… I didn’t mean that the way it sounded," Grace said quickly, and Jordanna believed that her sentiments were sincere. "And please, call me Grace. Being called ma'am makes me feel like the old fart that I am."

Jordanna smiled. "Okay, Grace."

"What's your name, honey?"

"Jordanna."

"Jordanna?" Grace narrowed her already narrow eyes. "What the hell kind of a name is that?"

The drummer shrugged. "It’s my stage name. My friends usually just call me Jor."

"Stage name?"

"I'm a musician," Jordanna explained.

"Are you popular?"

"Am I popular?" Jordanna snorted and smiled, deciding she liked Rebecca's spunky, old aunt very much. "Obviously I'm not very popular here. But, as far as elsewhere, it depends on who you ask."

"Do you play an instrument?"

Jordanna was thankful for the familiar conversation, and that Rebecca's aunt seemed to understand her discomfort with the entire situation. "I can play just about every instrument, but as far as my specialty, well, I'm a drummer and a vocalist."

"Country music?" the old woman asked, almost as if there were no other type of music.

Jordanna shook her head and finished off her bottle of Bud. "Nope, rock and roll." She stood up and looked at the table. "Can I get you another drink?"

"Would you?"

"Sure, what are you drinking?" Jordanna asked.

Grace shook the remaining contents of her glass and finished it. "Jack and Coke."

Both of Jordanna's brows shot straight to the sky. "Jack Daniels?"

The older woman smiled and laughed at Jordanna's reaction. "Yeah, us old people drink Jack Daniels, too."

Jordanna laughed and then slipped through the small crowds of people grouped together on her walk toward the bar. The whispering started again as she walked past the groups, thinking that they were safe to talk because she was out of earshot.

Think again.

Jordanna placed her drink order and stood there, listening to the words that were being said about them. She hoped that Rebecca was faring better than she was, locked away in some room with the rest of the bridal party during the always-painful cocktail hour.

She took her drinks and slipped through the crowds again. "Excuse me, just going back to my closet," she said as she passed the first group on her way back to the table. She cut through a bunch of empty chairs and walked past the next group, mumbling loud enough for them to hear her. "Yeah, Rebecca really does have some nerve bringing her lover here with her, doesn't she?" She walked past the disc jockey, who was just beginning to lug in his catalog of music. The next group of guests was gathered around at a table next to where he was setting up his equipment. "I'm not a lesbian," she mumbled as she walked past them, and turned around to make sure they heard her and could see her wiggling her eyebrows provocatively. "I'm just a big, old, pussy eating dyke."

She laughed out loud at the horrified reactions to that comment and the rest of the snide comments she was making as she made her way through the guests, and had a huge smile on her face by the time she sat down in her seat next to Rebecca's aunt. She set Grace's drink down in front of her. "What's that smile for?" Rebecca's aunt asked.

"Rebecca's going to kill me," the drummer answered, amused with herself.

The older woman took a sip of her drink and looked at her. "Why?"

"Because I heard whispered comments about Rebecca and myself as I walked to the bar, and I responded to each and every one of them on my way back to the table," Jordanna answered, her blue eyes twinkling.

"What did they say to you?"

Jordanna shook her head. "You really don't want to know."

"What did you say to them?"

The wicked smirk returned. "You definitely don't want to know."

The disc jockey finished setting up, and all of the guests stood up when he started to announce the entrance of the bridal party. Jordanna noticed Rebecca looking all over the room for her, and saw the look of annoyance that crossed her lover's face when she saw where Jordanna was sitting.

The two women locked eyes as Rebecca and Scott stood on the corner of the dance floor closest to the drummer, waiting for the bride and groom's wedding song, Shania Twain's 'From this Moment On,' to begin. Each woman listened intently to the spoken lyrics at the beginning of the song, conveying their love for each other from across the room, just by their eye contact alone.

Rebecca was so entranced by her visual connection with her lover, that she didn't even notice when the music to the song actually did start. Scott nudged her out of her reverie, and she reluctantly danced the first dance with him instead of with Jordanna, the woman whose arms she really wished she was in.

The song hadn't even quite finished and she was already walking off the dance floor, heading toward the back table where Jordanna was sitting. She sat down in the empty chair next to the drummer. "I can't believe my asshole brother seated you all the way back here."

"It's okay," Jordanna said and shrugged, and turned her head toward the woman seated on the other side of her. "Your aunt has been keeping me company."

"Aunt Grace!" Rebecca hadn't noticed that her aunt was also at the table. She stood up, and gave the older woman a hug and a kiss, and looked at the other couples sitting at the table, not recognizing any of them. "It's so good to see you. Thank you for taking care of Jordanna for me."

Rebecca's aunt smiled at her. "It's my pleasure, honey." The older woman looked at the drummer. "Your friend here is very sweet."

The drummer finished off her Budweiser and smirked at the sweet comment. "Would you ladies like drink refills?"

Rebecca nodded her head.

"What are you drinking today, baby?"

"White wine."

"Another Jack and Coke for you, young lady?" Jordanna winked and asked, already knowing the answer to the question.

The older woman laughed. "You got it!"

Rebecca sat down in Jordanna's seat after the dark-haired woman went to get their drinks. Grace smiled and got a good look at her very grown up niece. "She's a keeper," the older woman finally said.

The reporter let out a very relieved sigh. "You really like her?"

Grace nodded her head. "Yeah, I do. She's very nice." She gave Rebecca a little nudge with her bony elbow. "And gorgeous to boot."

Rebecca was surprised. She didn't expect acceptance from anyone in her family, other than Lisa. "So, um…" She cleared her throat. "It doesn't bother you that I'm involved with a woman?"

The older woman put her hand on top of Rebecca's, and made a confession. "You are not the only member of the McCarthy clan to have a relationship with someone of the same sex, Rebecca."

The reporter's mouth dropped open. "Who?"

Grace smirked, but remained silent.

"You?" Rebecca asked immediately. "No way!"

Jordanna came back from the bar and placed both women's drinks down on the table in front of them. "No way, what?" she asked as she sat down next to Rebecca, wondering what Grace said to cause the total look of surprise that Rebecca had on her face.

The reporter looked at Grace, asking for permission to let Jordanna in on what they were talking about. "Can I tell her?"

The older woman nodded her consent. "Sure."

Rebecca took Jordanna's hand under the table and held on tight. "I'm not the only member of the family that has been involved in a lesbian relationship."

Jordanna gave Rebecca's hand a little squeeze, enjoying the contact. "No?"

"Aunt Grace was just starting to tell me that she was involved with a woman once."

The drummer raised an interested eyebrow. "Really?"

"It happened a long time ago," the older woman said, embarrassed by the attention she was getting.

"Would you mind telling us about it?" Rebecca asked, curious to know the details.

Grace sat silent for a while, and the two women could tell that the older woman was reliving some of her past in her mind again. She took a deep breath and began. "She was beautiful," she said, and smiled brightly, remembering fondly. "Your uncle, God rest his soul, had just been sent over to Korea during the war."

"After he left, I got a job working for the phone company as an operator," she continued. "This was way before the technological age, so I had to learn how to work the switchboard. They had one of the more experienced operators train me. Her name was Sally Hamilton, and she had long, red hair, and the most expressive brown eyes."

Always one to enjoy a nice, romantic tale, Rebecca leaned up against her lover, to soak in some of her warmth while Grace spoke about her affair.

"I fell in love with her the moment I looked into those eyes," the older woman stated, her voice showing the depth of her feeling.

"I know exactly how that feels," Jordanna admitted happily, and brought Rebecca's hand up to her lips, giving the back of it a gentle kiss.

Rebecca looked into the blue eyes that she loved. "Mm, yeah… me, too." She turned back to her aunt, urging her to go on. "Please continue," she said, and leaned up against Jordanna again.

"With Al being away," the older woman started to say, but paused and turned to address Jordanna. "Al was my husband." Grace waited for Jordanna to nod her understanding before she continued on. "With him gone, I was starting to feel very, very lonely."

She stopped for a brief minute while they watched the dance floor begin to fill up after a fast tempo song started playing. Couples lined up in a circle, one behind the other, and started the routine steps, circling them around the outer parameters of the dance floor. "Sixteen step," the older woman said out loud, announcing the dance that they were doing. "I really miss dancing," she said absently.

"So, get up there and show them how it's done, Aunt Grace," Rebecca said proudly, remembering what a fantastic dancer her father's sister used to be. "If you need a partner, I'll dance with you."

Jordanna raised an eyebrow and took a long pull on her beer. "You line dance, baby? Now, this I have to see!"

Grace patted Rebecca on the hand appreciatively. "Thank you for the offer, honey, but my arthritis just won't allow me to do the things I used to do." The song ended a slower Shania tune came on, sending some of the dancers off of the floor. A few couples remained and danced together slowly. "Why don't you two get out there and dance?"

"That's a great idea." Rebecca looked at the apprehensive drummer and pleaded with her eyes. "Dance with me, love?"

Jordanna shook her head. "I don't want to cause a scene, Rebecca."

The reporter took Jordanna's hand and stood up. "I don't give a shit what everyone else thinks about us, Jor."

The drummer stood up and narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure, baby?"

"Absolutely," Rebecca said and smiled, tugging on Jordanna's hand as they walked through the crowd to the dance floor. The drummer could feel the eyes of most of the guests watching their every move, and got the feeling that there was going to be trouble. She brushed the feelings off, and wrapped her arms around Rebecca after the reporter slid her arms around her waist.

Rebecca rested her head on Jordanna's chest, moving in sync with her lover as the music played on. She smiled as she took a deep breath and smelled the pleasing scent of Eternity, Jordanna's perfume.

She felt Jordanna's body stiffen, and lifted her head to see what would cause that kind of reaction from her lover. Scott was standing there looking at her expectantly. "I'd like to dance with Rebecca," he said to the drummer.

Jordanna rolled her eyes and growled in displeasure, but slowly let go of her hold on Rebecca. Before she knew it, Rebecca was dancing in Scott's arms and she was in the arms of one of the other ushers, a dark-haired young man, who was at least a good 6 inches shorter than her.

Jordanna and Rebecca locked eyes as the two faux couples danced next to each other, and the drummer broke out into a small smile for Rebecca, letting her know that everything was going to be alright, just like the song was saying things were going to be.

Jordanna was busy listening to the words and didn't hear the young man speaking to her. "What’s she got that I don't have?" he asked again, whispering into Jordanna's ear.

The drummer shook her head and looked down at the man, who couldn't have been a day over 20. "Nice tits," she answered, immediately wishing she hadn't said what she did, remembering the promise she made to Rebecca and herself that she would behave for the whole weekend, especially where her family was involved.

"Touché," he responded with a slight laugh. "I gotta agree with you on that one, Jordanna. But you know, I think you are selling yourself short. All you need is one good…"

"One good what?" she interrupted, taking his bait. Stud boy.

"To be fucked by a real man," he answered right away.

Jordanna burst out laughing. "Is that what you think?" It was very apparent to her that the kid had no clue who he was messing with. "And I suppose you're the man with the magical cock?"

"Yeah, I suppose I am," he smiled, hoping to charm the pants off of her with his boyish looks and wit. He'd love to be able to brag to his buddies that he fucked someone as famous, and as unattainable as Jordanna Fox.

"I think you'd better quit while you're ahead, kid," Jordanna responded, shaking her head. She lost count of all the times in her life that she had the same exact conversation, with some guy that thought he could possibly be special enough in the manhood department to make her convert her ways. "Women like me eat little boys like you for breakfast."

Continued in Part 5