Tracy

021:

Tracy and Bridget staggered into the room that had been designated as Bridget's laughing hysterically--- giddy with the release of tension that jamming with Ray McCaffrey had induced. There was nothing like it--- nothing in the entire world like jamming around, playing music—weaving memories and song. Tracy fell back on the bed and Bridget lifted her leg to untie her stiletto heels.

"You should have lost these a long time ago." She threw them on the floor and then flopped back beside Tracy and lifted her legs letting the dress fall to her waist, just as Julian walked in loosening what was left of his cravat.

"Picture perfect." Jules announced, seizing the opportunity to leap to the bed, bounce across both girls and land squarely between them, burying his face between Bridget's breasts. She squealed, and laughed, yanking at his hair, before they started kissing.

Tracy left them there, working the dress loose with blistered fingers from so much guitar playing, and let it fall on the floor where she stood. Her overnight bag had been tossed on top of the diaper bag. She kicked it over, unzipped it and brought out a t-shirt. Just a rather long t-shirt with Mickey Mouse on the front. Everyone in this room had seen it before.

The hairpins fell on the ground too, and she jumped back on the bed, poking her fingers between the entwined pair. "Marc Shepherd wants pictures of this, he told me so."

The two fell apart panting, and Bridget flung herself off the side of the bed ripping at the gorgeous designer dress like it was a pair of sweats. "I am sick of this thing!"

Julian rolled, knees bent, socks half off. "More doggie pile pics?"

"That's what he wants. He's just outside, you want me to get him?" Tracy opened the bedroom door and both Bridget and Julian tossed some article of clothing at her. She caught them both laughing and pushed the door shut, far more aware these days of other people sleeping nearby. That mother's second sense always on alert now. And they all knew Marc Shepherd would never be purposely invited to Ray's mansion.

"Get over here," Bridget growled low, and Tracy flounced to her side. Bridget pulled her close, between her legs as she dangled them over the side of the bed. "You gonna tell me what happened?"

Tracy ran a hand down her tawny golden spirals, tangling and untangling in annoyance. Not for the first time she wondered about cutting it all off. Bridget reached up and grabbed her hands and stilled them over her stomach, then reached for her hair and ran a practiced hand down it. With a deft gesture, she twirled Tracy around and pressed on her shoulders to lower her to the ground, so she could smooth and braid the huge and heavy mass. Julian rolled off the other side and found his way to the bathroom--- in a second they heard water running for a shower.

"Which thing?"

"Casey."

Tracy rolled her eyes. "I'd agreed to marry him. Now I've called it off."

"And you have Danny?" Bridget's voice was terribly pragmatic, she'd seen this one coming a mile away.

"When Frances gave up custody and Casey went into rehab, I got a kinship guardian custody. It's legal, but Casey seems to think he can control when and how long I have him."

"Guess you proved him wrong." Bridget pulled on a curl and Tracy grabbed her head and cried out softly.

"It's not easy, you know."

"But it's what you've always wanted, don't deny it. Since the day that child was born you've been on the receiving end of parenting." Bridget yanked as she started one of several braids.

Tracy didn't bother to complain, long experience reminded her it would do no good. Bridget had far more power in her two hands at the moment, than Casey had ever had holding her hostage and controlling her life.

It wouldn't be a surprise to Bridget that Casey was still using, or that Casey had a girlfriend. But she didn't know about the pregnancy. Tracy wasn't sure she could divulge that information without breaking down and bawling, so she wisely kept her mouth shut.

"And who is the uniformed officer taking care of you on TV? You looked like some Marcus Welby episode." Bridget wasn't easy on her.

"Lieutenant Raine Maverick--- who dumped me already after night surfing and hot cocoa at the end of the pier. One hour at Kirk and Coral's with Casey, and the crew, and he was outta there like a hot flash." She shook her head.

"And you're giving up just like that?" Bridget pulled her head to the side and looked into her blue eyes.

"What else can I do?"

"Yeah, what else can she do?" This said from the bathroom as Julian came out wrapped in a towel, rubbing another one on his short hair.

"She could pursue something interesting for once. Something that she actually wants."

Tracy turned to see Julian's face as Bridget said this, and then Bridget's palm flipped her back to face the wall.

"Well, then that would be the sizzling intimacy between her and Richard Mann out there on the dance floor tonight, and the sultry glances ever after till he got too drunk to do anything about it."

"Way to talk about all the guys I've scared off this week." Tracy pulled her head away just as Bridget flipped the two long intertwined braids over her shoulder. She gave Julian the eye meant to stop all further conversation on the subject, but he simply let one eyebrow rise in her direction.

"Well, you didn't scare Danny off. He's obviously in love with you."

"He has to love me. I'm his Mommy." Tracy rolled back on the bed, kissed Bridget's forehead and pulled the covers down. Julian crawled in.

"We're really doing this?" Bridget now pulled her own long hair over her shoulder and braided it deftly, her lovely arched brows crinkling in distaste. "It's lost its novelty."

Julian faked some snores and turned on his side squishing the pillow under his raised arm.

Bridget rolled her eyes from the center of the bed. "Really, Trace? Times have changed. I was going to get me some."

Tracy turned on her other side, one slender hip skyward. "Guess that's out of the question."

Bridget kicked that hip, and Tracy lost balance and slid unceremoniously to the floor. She scrambled up, grabbing a pillow and blanket. "You want me to sleep on the floor? Sleep down at the foot? Doggie pile?" She made as if to jump in between them, and Bridget held up her hand.

"Fine. Fine. Jules, you roll in the middle. I'm not sleeping next to Tracy, she smells like that man--Richard Mann man. She's still got his cologne on her. Disgusting. He's not your type at all."

Tracy skipped to the opposite side of the bed and yanked back the covers to reveal Julian in his boxers. His skin was British pale, rather thin, although his shoulders had filled out since high school. His brown hair was straight and stringy, still damp. He looked up at her--- those warm brown eyes so like his father's. He swallowed and his Adam's Apple bobbed. He watched her steadily, one arm already rising on the other side to curl Bridget under it.

Bridget already pretended to be asleep. Tracy bit her lip.

"I'm in love with you guys." She warned. Julian's fingers curled, beckoning. She slipped in beside him, nestling under the raised arm, as it curled around her shoulders. Her other hand found Bridget's over his heart.

"I love you too, sweetie." Bridget murmured.

"Then quit school and come be with me in So Cal."

"You know I can't."

"I'm going to have to. It really sucks."

"You have your priorities. Nobody is forcing you."

"I am forcing me."

Julian's hand smoothed the top of her head, gently fingering her ear and her neck and then back up to the top the way he had when they were twelve, and had nobody except each other--- the three of them--- on the floor of Casey's bedroom, cuddled there for warmth and security. Doggie piles.

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