Edge of Breaking Ch. 03

"I just, I couldn't leave you out there on your own with my mother," Nancy admitted.

After eating their lunch, Gracie pulled around and parked behind Cal's Western Wear. To Gracie's horror, and utter delight, Nancy stripped down to just bra and socks and wiggled into a blouse. She sat, legs spread as she buttoned the blouse closed, then wiggled into her blue jeans. Her final act was to wiggle her boots and belt on.

"And remember, I'm not wearing aannyy panties," Nancy husked then kissed Gracie.

"Oh! What time's supper?" Gracie asked just as Nancy prepared to shut the door.

"Five," Nancy decided.

At five, Nancy again reminded Gracie that she was sans panties and even unzipped her jeans so that Gracie could stick her hand in and verify the truth of Nancy's statement.

"See you at nine thirty, Sweetheart," Nancy giggled at Gracie's heavy blush.

"Okay," Gracie agreed.

New Year's Eve was dead in the store. At three o'clock that afternoon, Miss Callie said they'd close so everyone could go get their partying started early.

"Out back," Gracie responded to Nancy's text.

"And Charlene and Marlene will be at the house at six," Gracie babbled as she drove along Highway 52.

"Who?" Nancy asked.

"These twins; they used work at T. Dayton's Hair Salon. Know? I never can get out of them why they no longer work there. You ever been to T. Dayton's?" Gracie babbled.

"You are so super excited 'bout this, huh?" Nancy giggled.

"Yeah, why?" Gracie asked as she backed into her garage.

"I mean, Gracie, you're bouncing off the walls and you're never bouncing off the walls," Nancy laughed.

"Well, every year, I go, and Stacie's always got this boyfriend or that one, Aunt Cindy too, and of course Penny's married to Duncan and finally? This year? I'm there with my girlfriend. Let them beat that, huh?" Gracie enthused.

Even though there would be finger food all evening at the country club, Gracie still prepared a large dinner salad. They were just finishing the meal when the doorbell gave off a booming chime.

"Yes?" Gracie asked into an intercom.

"Charlene and Marlene Falgout? Here to see uh, Gracie and Nancy?" a disembodied voice called out.

"ID?" Gracie asked. "Please show it to the speaker, right there on your left."

"You are kidding me," they heard a second voice say.

"Thank you," Gracie said as both women did show their identifications to the camera.

She punched a code on the panel beneath the speaker and the front door swung open.

"Hi! Wow, this is beautiful! Hi, I'm Charlene," one slim brunette enthused as they entered the foyer.

"And I'm Marlene. We're identical twins, but you'll be able tell us apart soon enough," the other twin said, pushing her twin out of the way.

"Yes, I'm the smarter one," Charlene said smugly.

"And I'm the prettier one," Marlene followed. "So, where are we working today, ladies?"

Charlene and Marlene made appropriate noises as Gracie led them to her private bathroom. Nancy saw that there were now two vanity chairs in the large bathroom.

"Ladies? Just a moment, please?" Nancy ordered as Charlene began barking orders.

Nancy ushered both strangers from the bathroom. Nancy quickly helped Gracie strip nude, then pulled a thick robe tightly around Gracie. Nancy then called out for the twins again as she stripped out of her own clothing.

"Sorry; sometimes I kind of get a little bossy," Charlene mumbled.

The twins worked quickly, efficiently, methodically. Before an hour had passed, they had both Gracie and Nancy expertly made up, hair styled in loose curls, fingernails and toenails brightly shaped and painted.

"All righty," Marlene finally said, stepping out of the way so that Gracie could see her reflection. "Like our work? Leave us a positive review, okay?"

"And..." Gracie said, masking a button on her phone. "There's a hundred dollar tip for you as well."

"Oh! Well, thank you," Charlene said brightly.

Gracie made sure her robe was tightly cinched around her waist. She walked Charlene and Marlene to the door, thanked them again, then locked the door behind them. She then had to check all other doors as well as windows before scampering back to the bedroom.

"And now..." Gracie said, flinging the closet open.

Gracie took charge this time, stripping Nancy of the terry cloth robe and sitting the nude woman on the lip of the bed.

"The ones with the lines, okay?" Gracie asked, selecting the stockings.

"Okay," Nancy agreed.

Gracie rolled the stockings up Nancy's smooth legs. She then insisted on a photograph of Nancy in only thigh high stockings.

The dress was wiggled into, then the sandals were cinched on Nancy's pretty little feet. Nancy gave the finished product a look in the full length mirror and approved. Gracie had to have a photograph of that as well.

"And with that cross? Perfect," Gracie enthused as Nancy again looked at herself in the mirror.

"God, Gracie!" Nancy exclaimed, seeing Gracie's elegant dress.

Gracie thought her face would melt from the blush, though, when Nancy insisted on a cell phone photograph of Gracie in only her thigh high smoke gray stockings.

"But Nancy, you can see my, my," Gracie protested.

"Pretty little pussy? Nice little boobies? Yeah, I know," Nancy agreed.

Then, fully dressed, fully made up, hair perfectly coiled, Nancy and Gracie had an hour and a half to kill before leaving for the Hardington Acres Country Club. Gracie decided to check on her profit & losses projections for the fourth quarter, even though she'd checked them earlier that day.

"What you doing?" Nancy asked, bored with the insipid television shows, bored with the endless Times Square celebration coverage.

"Just piddling," Gracie lied, quickly exiting out of her work.

"Gracie!" Nancy protested. "Look at you; looking like I just caught you looking at porn. Now, seriously, what you doing?"

"Nancy, I, do you love me?" Gracie asked, heart caught in her throat.

"Well, yeah," Nancy said.

"I mean, love me. Me. Not my big old house, or my car. Love me?" Gracie clarified, fighting to breathe.

"Gracie, the house is nice, and the car's nice, but lights are off? And it's just me and you, lying in bed? Holding each other? That's all that matters to me," Nancy agreed.

Gracie closed her eyes tightly, reminding herself to breathe in, breathe out. She then opened her eyes and studied Nancy's face for a long moment. Gracie nodded and brought up her accounting program again. Nancy stepped closer and looked over Gracie's shoulder at the numbers.

"And?" Nancy finally asked, not fully comprehending what she was being shown.

"I'm, I'm a millionaire," Gracie whispered. "My grandfather left me a bunch of money and I've just about tripled it."

"Okay?" Nancy said. "So, why wouldn't I love you?"

"I, Nan, I, I don't, I don't want you to just love me for my money," Gracie stammered, close to tears.

Nancy gasped as if she'd been slapped. The feeling in the pit of her stomach was very close to that; as if she'd been slapped. Abruptly, she turned on her heel and left the home office.

"Nancy, I'm sorry," Gracie cried out.

"Gracie, right now? Leave me alone, okay? Please, just leave me alone," Nancy snapped, slamming the door of the hall bathroom.

Even though she knew it would affect her, Gracie had to take one of her anti-anxiety pills. She resisted the urge to take two. She resisted the urge to take all twenty three of the small tablets, washing then all down with the St. Elizabeth's Rum she had in her small liquor cabinet.

"I'm sorry," Nancy said, almost forty minutes later.

"No, I'm sorry," Gracie said listlessly.

"Oh, Gracie! Did you, how many did you take?" Nancy cried out, recognizing the slack expression on her friend's face.

"Just one," Gracie said, holding out one finger.

"Oh God, you are such a mess," Nancy said, hugging Gracie tightly.

"You hate me?" Gracie asked.

"No, Gracie, I don't hate you. If anything, I love you more right this minute than I've ever loved anyone in my life," Nancy whispered into Gracie's ear.

"Need go," Gracie said, looking at the clock.

"Give me the keys; you are not driving like that," Nancy demanded.

"Of course, now I suppose you're going to sell the car and get you a new one, huh?" Nancy lightly joked as she helped Gracie shrug her coat on.

"You, you know about that?" Gracie asked, ashamed.

"See a gold Jeep, see a gold Jeep, drive the gold Jeep, then don't see it no more?" Nancy asked, showing Gracie that she was punching the alarm code into the panel.

"Did you check the back door?" Gracie suddenly thought to ask as they stepped into the chilly garage.

"Yes Gracie, and the front door. I'm locking the garage door right now," Nancy agreed.

Even though the Mustang was just a V6, it still gave a good throaty rumble. Nancy hit the garage door remote, let the garage door come all the way up, then checked all around before putting the car in drive and rolling out of the garage. She hit the remote again and looked over her shoulder to make sure that the door went all the way down before again checking all around the car.

"That's pretty nice," Nancy complimented. "Always thought that was kind of a pain in the butt, way you back into your garage like that. But man! Can just pull right out and go, huh?"

"Uh huh, and if anyone's in the garage? Even if the door's down? Just floor it and go," Gracie agreed.

Nancy drove to a convenience store and left Gracie in the car, doors securely locked. She bout a small cup of coffee, doctored it the way Gracie liked it, and also bought some breath mints. Gracie hit the door lock for Nancy and Nancy handed her the cup of coffee.

"Here, drink this," Nancy ordered. "And after? Suck on two of these; you're not kissing me with coffee breath."

"You're bossy," Gracie smiled, sipping the scalding hot coffee.

"And bitchy," Nancy agreed.

"By the way," Nancy giggled. "Every step I take in this dress? Feels like I'm about to flash my pussy."

"Huh! But it looks gorgeous on you," Gracie said as they chewed up the miles to the Hardington Acres Country Club.

"Feeling better?" Nancy asked as they pulled in line behind a Bentley.

"Oh! I think that's my Uncle Antny's car!" Gracie said, pointing at the Bentley.

"It's pretty," Nancy agreed. "I'm serious, suck on two them mints."

"Bossy," Gracie teased, popping two mints into her mouth.

"Good evening, ma'am," a man in a valet's jacket smiled, opening the door for Gracie. "And Happy New Year."

"Thank you; happy New Year to you," Gracie smiled.

The valet was slightly surprised that the driver was also a woman. But years of working at the country club had taught him the importance of keeping an blankly smiling face.

"I thought that was you behind me," Anthony Whitehead smiled, approaching his eldest niece. "But who's this driving it, huh?"

"Uncle Antny? This is my girlfriend Nancy," Gracie said, holding out her hand for Nancy.

"Nancy Hebert," Nancy said, holding out her right hand to Anthony. "By the way, love your car."

"Yeah, gets me from point a to point b," Anthony smiled, warmly shaking Nancy's hand. "Now, I know, rude as hell of me to ask, but when you say 'girlfriend' do you mean..."

"We're together," Nancy answered for the two of them.

"Good," was Uncle Anthony's response. "Come on, it's too damned cold out here."

He herded the two women through the doors, out of the cruel wind. Gracie clung onto Nancy's arm as they approached the grand ballroom.

"Check your coats here, Nancy," Anthony said, pointing toward a small window. "So, how did you two meet?"

"We went to high school together," Gracie answered.

"And I had the biggest crush on her, but just didn't have the guts to tell her, Nancy said, affectionately rubbing Gracie's arm.

"Can understand why," Anthony agreed, waiting his turn at the coat check behind Gracie and Nancy. "My niece is beautiful, smart..."

"See? SEE? I'm not only one thinks you're beautiful," Nancy said, unbuttoning Gracie's coat.

Anthony watched as Nancy helped Gracie take her coat off. He watched as Nancy took both coats to the young girl at the counter, then retrieve both tickets. He watched Nancy give Gracie a reassuring smile and then take Gracie's hand.

"Thank you, God," Anthony muttered. "Someone to take care of her."

"Wait up; I want to make a grand entrance," Anthony said to Gracie and Nancy. "An old guy like me with not one, but two gorgeous women, huh?"

"Uncle Antny, you're not old," Gracie protested.

"And that. That's why you're my favorite niece," Anthony smiled, taking his claim check from the young girl.

Only fifty or sixty of the expected three to four hundred guests had arrived. Entering the grand ballroom, Anthony immediately saw his mother, Susan Whitehead, chatting with Barney and Joanna Siegel. Thankfully, he did not see their fat ass daughter, Barbara Peters, or her two annoying children He didn't really find Josette or Barney Peters to be annoying, but any time he saw them, their overbearing mother was hovering right over them.

As if she sensed someone looking for her, Barbara waddled over to where her parents stood. Anthony rolled his eyes.

"By the way, beautiful dresses you two have," Anthony complimented both women.

"Aw!" both Nancy and Gracie sighed.

"Mother, where's your walker?" Anthony teased his mother.

"Anthony Marcus Whitehead!" Susan screeched. "I am not that old!"

"Some children never learn respect, hmm?" Joanna smiled as Anthony hugged his mother.

"Hi Anthony," Barbara preened.

"Hey, uh, Betty, right?" Anthony said.

"Barbara," Barbara snapped, puffy face darkening.

"Gracie! And who's this beautiful young woman with you?" Susan asked.

Lisa had already informed Susan that Gracie was dating a woman so Nancy's appearance was no surprise to Susan. Susan's first response had been shock, then she decided, as long as Gracie was happy, then she could be happy for her granddaughter.

"Grandmother? This is Nancy, my girlfriend," Gracie said.

"Nancy Hebert," Nancy said, holding out her hand.

"Susan Whitehead, but you can call me Grandmother," Susan said, enveloping Nancy in a hug. "Of all the names I've been called? Grandmother's still my favorite."

"Well, yes ma'am," Nancy smiled.

"Mother, I am so proud of you," Anthony beamed as Gracie pulled Nancy toward Lisa Whitehead.

"Uh huh, I'm still not forgiving you. Where's my walker indeed," Susan chuckled.

She looked over her left shoulder. Then she nudged Anthony.

"And, uh, don't look now, but your ex-wife's here," Susan warned, looking at Cheyenne Whitehead.

"Oh boy! I hope she's got another tattoo to show me!" Anthony said.

"Just what did you ever see in her?" Susan asked as Cheyenne walked toward them, already well into the champagne.

"Saw a lot of myself in her," Anthony smirked.

"Incorrigible. You are simply incorrigible," Susan snapped, walking toward Lisa and Gracie and Nancy.

"Mother, have you met..." Lisa started.

"Yes, Grandmother and I have already met," Nancy said, smiling.

Jimmy Whitehead stood with his date, Morgan Wolfe. He and the young woman had met at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. Other than being clean and sober, the two had little in common, but Jimmy had needed a date for the party and Morgan had never been to the country club, so agreed to go with him.

"Evening, Jimmy, Morgan, John Burke, one of the waiters smiled, holding up a tray of champagne flutes.

"John, my man! What up? Where's the coffee?" Jimmy asked the fellow member of NA.

"Left of the swinging doors, but give the doors plenty of room, huh?" John smiled. "Kitchen? Mad house."

"I'll bet," Jimmy smiled. "Morgan? Coffee?"

A five piece band played music in a corner of the large room. The music was loud enough to be heard, but not so loud as to intrude on conversation. Two octogenarians held onto one another, swaying to the lively tempo music.

"Happy New Year!" the singer, an emaciated looking woman smiled. "This next one's a favorite of ours."

The band started to play 'Tumbling Dice' by the Rolling Stones. With a shrug, the older couple continued

To dance. They were joined by a few other couples.

"Want to dance?" Nancy asked Gracie.

They did draw some looks as they strolled onto the dance floor. As there were two other same sex couples in attendance, though, the looks were soon averted to other more interesting things to look at.

"Going do it?" Morgan asked Jimmy as they watched Gracie and Nancy dancing.

"Going try," Jimmy affirmed.

"Trying is dying," Morgan said. "Now, going do it?"

Jimmy walked over to where his sister stood, chatting with Joseph Gaudet, her date for the evening. Lisa regarded her younger brother coolly.

"Listen, I uh, I'd really like to talk with Gracie," Jimmy mumbled. "I, see, there's this ninth step? Making amends and..."

"And there are some things you just can't make amends for, Jimmy," Lisa spat.

"God damn, Lisa, huh?" Jimmy spat. "Shit happened what? Almost sixteen years ago, huh? I was high on crack! But I been clean and sober coming up on thirteen years now, huh?"

"Let me ask you something, Jimmy," Lisa snarled, fury sparking from her eyes. "You get an invitation to Gracie's high school graduation?"

"You know I didn't," Jimmy yelled.

"Neither did I, Jimmy! Know why? Even though she was the salutorian? She didn't go to her graduation. Get an invitation to her college graduation? No? Know why? Even though she had a perfect four point oh, she didn't go to her graduation. I'm glad you got the help you need, Jimmy. I really am. But my daughter? My daughter is still getting help," Lisa screamed.

Lisa punched Jimmy in his chest with all her might. The punch knocked him to the floor.

"My daughter! My precious baby girl! I trusted you with my life, Jimmy!" Lisa screamed. "And you shit all over it. YOU! You did it, you did it. You can blame crack all you want, but you, you're the one who took a sweet, innocent girl and turned her into a God damned psychotic mess."

"I'm here. I am right here, I'm right here with you," Nancy murmured to Gracie as they stood and watched the spectacle.

"I can't, I can't..." Gracie whimpered.

"No, no, I'm right here. Gracie, I am right here. I will never ever let anything or anyone hurt you," Nancy soothed, hugging Gracie tightly.

"Jimmy, maybe you should leave," Susan said quietly, firmly.

""No! God damn it! I'm tired of always being the one has to leave," Jimmy yelled.

"Come on, Jimmy," Morgan said, kneeling to help her date up. "Need call your sponsor, hear?"

"Fuck you, all right? Fuck you," Jimmy snarled at Lisa, at his mother, at Morgan.

"Shit. How much you think cab's going cost from here?" Morgan asked John Burke as they watched Jimmy storm from the ballroom.

"I get off about two," John offered.

"Know what? Yeah. He's already paid for my ticket," Morgan smiled.

The singer, wanting to get the attention back onto the band, walked up to the old couple.

"So, how long have you two been married?" she asked, then held the microphone out.

"Me?" the old man said. "Uh, fifty eight, no, no, fifty nine years."

"Sixty three years," the old woman said in a thin voice.

"Oh! I uh, so y'all aren't uh..." the singer stammered.

"No, we just get together to fuck," the old man said.

"Been what, Henry? Fifty years now?" the old woman asked.

""bout that," Henry agreed. "See, my Louise? Bitch is a dried up old hag, pure-d missionary sex, lights all off, hurry up get it over with."

"And Harold's got about an inch, maybe inch and a half," the old woman said.

"Oh. Kay," the singer said, backing away from the two octogenarians.

"Maybe we should take a quick smoke break," the bass player suggested, face red from laughing.

"Know what?" Anthony said to Gracie and Nancy as they sat at his table. "Two of you looked so good out there, I'm jealous."