Family Night

To my readers, please feel free to leave feedback for me so that I know that you liked my stories, what you would like to see, and perhaps maybe suggest one. Please also vote on how you liked it, every vote does count. If you'd like to read it over and over again, favorite it and come back to enjoy it like an old friend. I look forward to hearing from you...K'Anne

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As Melinda drove home from another hot Florida day she looked at the rolling clouds coming in off the gulf and wondered if she would make it home before the rain came down. Not that every cloud that rolled in would bring rain but this was Florida, it rained every five minutes it seemed sometimes. She sped up marginally to beat the rain but failed when it started to sprinkle as she pulled onto her residential street. Looking down the road she had to turn on her wipers before she reached her driveway. Pressing the button on the console of her car the garage door opened effortlessly as she pulled into her spot of the three car garage. She noted Em's SUV was parked in its spot but that didn't mean she was home, she could have taken her bike out for a quick ride which she did a lot to keep in shape. Melinda hoped not with how hot the day had been, dehydration could set in so quickly and with it raining now she quickly parked and checked the rack for her girlfriend's sports bike. It was hung up as usual and this relieved her mind. She pressed the button and the garage door quietly closed behind her as she shut off the engine to her car. She sat there a minute in the quiet taking a deep breath to unwind from the hectic day she had just survived.

As she entered their house from the garage she felt the cool blast of the air conditioner. It wasn't as high as it would be if she had been home alone. Em was from a northern state and her version of air conditioning was to open a window. Although that worked some of the time, here in southern Florida the humidity made it impossible MOST of the time. Melinda put her keys on the table by the door and put her briefcase on the chair that Em kept there for that purpose. She noted Em's sleek alligator bag was already there. She looked up to see if she could see her girlfriend but she wasn't visible from the short hallway that led to their front door from the garage. She turned right which went directly into their open and spacious kitchen. Looking on the large countertop that was perfect for entertaining she was surprised to see it set up. The far side of it was a bar into the family room and it contained place settings. It annoyed her for a moment because she just wanted a quiet night alone after the hectic day when it occurred to her that it was Thursday, it was family night. She grinned. Em certainly hadn't forgotten, she had gone ahead and prepared it for them.

Walking through the family room she saw further evidence of Em being prepared. Chips and popcorn were in sealed bowls on the coffee table, the channel changers lined up for their Thursday evening ritual. The room was impeccably clean. The newspapers and magazines they read neatly stacked in the magazine rack, the pillows fluffed just so. No evidence of the family in their family room. Melinda gazed around the room in pleased delight. Em knew that it was Melinda's turn to clean but had gone ahead and done more than her fair share. Melinda knew that Em really didn't have the time and was pleased that she had gone ahead and done it for them. The couch was to her right along the wall facing the plasma screen television over the fireplace. On each side of the fireplace were bookshelves crammed with books that Em loved so. The two laz-y-boy chairs were to her left with a passageway between them and the couch. She walked in front of them to the French doors of the deck and looked out.

The grill was hot from the coals of the burning wood in it. She hadn't wanted a grill like this, she preferred propane but Em had convinced her it was better to burn natural wood than gas and Melinda had to admit the flavor of the foods that came off this grill was fantastic depending on the kind of wood they burned and the smells were heavenly. She smiled when she saw the kabobs neatly sitting on a plate with a net over them to keep away the bugs. Big rich chunks of beef were on several skewers, thickly cut vegetables on others. Chicken which had apparently been marinated in some type of sauce still sitting in the sauce sat on another plate waiting to be skewered. Corn on the cob waited to be put over the hot coals.

She looked to the left of the grill and smiled at the buckets of iced Corona sitting there waiting for her to just pop the top off and let the cool beer slide down her parched throat. She opened the door, sliding it back to go out on the deck with its overhang keeping the big fat drops of rain from ruining their picnic. She wondered where Em was as it wasn't like her to leave the coals burning. As she sat down at the table she reached for a Corona only to stop in surprise. In another large bucket was more Corona but the she laughed at the bottles. The bottles were at least two feet high and the glass was turned and made squiggles. They looked like something you would win at a Carnival. They clearly read Corona but she wondered if they were real. Em had them on ice so she had to wonder at their authenticity. There were six of them and they looked cool, refreshing, and oh so inviting in the heat of southern Florida.

She wondered if Em had invited anyone else to 'family' night. Her sister and brother both lived with their families nearby but Thursday was THEIR night, for THEIR family which consisted of the two of them, two dogs, and three cats. She wasn't looking forward to entertaining or amusing anyone else after the long day she had put in but the amount of beer and food made her wonder. She heard noises coming from around the back of the house and saw Em and the boys come around the corner. Em was a red-headed Anglo and Melinda smiled as she saw her. Her red head meant her white skin was not a good thing in the sun of southern Florida but she gamely tried time and again to maintain a tan despite her body's natural tendency to burn. She stood 5'6" was athletically built with broad shoulders she joked she could be a football player with. Her large hands meant she could cover more square inches of skin in a caress and for that alone Melinda could adore her she often teased. She didn't have the freckles most redheads sported, instead her smooth white skin reminded Melinda of porcelain. When she did manage to tan instead of burn it was an interesting contrast.

The boys saw Melinda immediately and with delighted barks of welcome they rushed up the deck to greet her home after a long day away. She spent a few minutes petting them in greeting as they poked their noses into her hands. She told them how beautiful they were as she smoothed back their curly hair and laughed back into their own laughing faces. Poodles have such expressive eyes. These two though she swore were more intelligent than people. They were their kids though and Melinda and Em loved them just like they were.

"Hey baby, about time you got here, it just started raining" Em greeted her with a smile.

That smile melted Melinda each time she saw it. There was just something there that warmed her heart. Maybe it was the kissy lips, maybe it was the brilliant white teeth, or maybe it was the barely there dimples that captured her attention. Her smile though was nothing to the sparkly hazel eyes that made Melinda speechless each time she looked into them. These momentary lapses had embarrassed her for years but she covered well from long practice.

"It started as I turned on our street" she smiled in return after getting her voice back.

Em leaned down for a kiss and would have ended that with a peck if Melinda hadn't prolonged it. Em didn't mind.

When Em had seen Melinda sitting on the deck she too had wanted to let out a joyful bark of welcome like the boys did. Her heart gave a little leap whenever she saw this sexy woman and knew that she belonged to her, she belonged WITH her. The Latina beauty was superbly shaped. Her 36C breasts barely kept in the blouse that Melinda wore, they strained at the fabric. Her coppery skin just ached to be caressed. Something Em indulged in whenever possible. She smiled at the petite brunette from across the yard as she followed the boys onto the deck.

"Are we having guests?" Melinda asked when they came up for air as she indicated the food and the beverages.

Em looked at her preparations "no, I just wanted to be sure we would have leftovers so we didn't have to cook tomorrow before we went out."

Melinda had to agree this was a good idea. Neither of them wanted to cook when they knew they were going out to dance. Friday this week had a party planned and rather than eat out and have that expense eating at home would save them a lot of money, not to mention time. Em always insisted they eat before going out especially if they knew they would be drinking.

"What's with all the beverages" she indicated the funky bottles of Corona.

"Aren't those a hoot, I found them at Gallaghers" wood burns and breaks down giving them more coals.

Melinda wondered why they needed so many coals but then she spotted the marshmallows, the graham crackers, and the Hershey bars for smores fixings. Em had thought of everything. They'd have some after dinner and make enough to last a few days in the kitchen...maybe. Em had a sweet tooth and god help them if she got her period...those smores with their chocolate would be gone quickly.

As the food sizzled on the grill they each discussed their day. Melinda was always surprised at how much Em could get done in a day. Her multi-tasking capabilities always amazed and astounded people. Em had Melinda laughing at how strenuous her own day was. It was a wonderful thing about her, despite the day being so long and rough, Melinda could look forward to Em making it sound better, her observations usually created a lot of laughter between them.

As Em cooked she made sure to brush or touch against Melinda in an almost casual accidental kind of way. It was more of a 'I know your there and I can't wait to touch you moment' and Melinda was very well aware of it. She wondered sometimes if Em was even aware that she did it anymore, she wasn't going to ask, she just would enjoy it. She too couldn't help but want to touch this amazing woman, whenever she had the chance.

"Could you watch this for a moment, I'm going to bring out the salads" Em asked her as they started on their second two foot high beers.

"Sure but saladssss?" she asked questioning the plural.

Em smiled, "yep, I made vegetable and fruit. Again, we will have leftovers!" She opened the sliding French door and the boys followed her in probably hoping she would share some of the delicious smells that were coming from the grill.

"Do you want to eat outside or in?" she called from the kitchen.

"Didn't you set up at the bar inside?" Melinda called back.

"Yeah, that was in case it poured and you wanted to eat indoors, which would you like?"

Melinda hesitated, she was tired. The beer had mellowed her rough day away but she knew Em's day had been equally hard and strenuous and she didn't want to give her any more work than she had to. "Whichever" she answered so as not to commit and let Em decide.

Em almost laughed aloud. Thursdays were always hard days for Melinda at work. People always waited until the last minute to place orders or create problems because tomorrow was Friday and they had to have their products before the weekend. It created a lot of work for Melinda but she weathered it week after week. Em had been in a great mood today and wanted to make their family night extra special for no other reason than she loved to do things for Melinda. When she saw the funky bottles of Corona, she HAD to have them because they would both get so much enjoyment out of them. She thought of dinner on the grill instead of ordering a pizza as they usually did and the smores were just the right touch. As she put three bowls on the carrying tray she covered them with netting to keep off the bugs. These salads would surprise and delight Melinda. Again, there would be a lot of leftovers but with several meals that Em or Melinda would not have to cook for it worked for them.

Melinda got up to open the French door when she saw the armload that Em was bringing out. She raised her eyebrow in surprise as the selection that Em placed on the table. The first was a traditional salad with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, shaved carrots, and sliced cucumbers. The second was a jello salad with lettuce, cubed jello, a sprinkling of cheese, and a glob of whipped cream on top. The third was an ambrosia salad they usually saved for special occasions. Its rich sour cream with marshmallows, maraschino cherries, pineapple, and mandarin oranges was expensive and fattening but oh so delicious. Em smiled as she put each of these offerings on the table and took the serving tray back with her into the house not saying a word.

It was no wonder Melinda had thought they were going to have company. The amount of food here was enough to feed an army but she looked forward to their evening meal and the many leftovers they would have over the following few days. Realizing she was letting their shishkabobs burn she quickly turned them on the grill picking up tongs to turn the corn on the cob. The sizzling of the beef and its smell made her mouth water. The boys were panting hopefully as they closed their mouths but left the jaw ajar to get the full 'flavor' of the smells of beef on the grill and the chicken. The chicken must have been in teriyaki sauce from the rich aroma that rose as it grilled. Melinda carefully poured some more from the container over the sizzling chicken pieces as it roasted and the drippings sputtered when they met the coals below.

Em came outside with a tray full of their dinner plates, silverware, and condiments and set the table quickly and efficiently before sitting down to her own two foot Corona. Two of their cats came with her and immediately moved to the edge of the deck to watch the rain come down in the back yard. Not for the world would they leave the deck and get wet. The boys watched their smaller friends hoping for but not getting a little chasing action. The cats ignored them with disdain only a cat can show.

Melinda watched Em out of the corner of her eye as she tried to maneuver her bottle to her mouth, it was almost too long for her arm and she couldn't help but grin at her efforts to drink the cool beverage from the ridiculous glass bottle. Em was right, the bottles were terrific and would be a funny addition to a shelf in their game room.

Finally dinner was cooked and they could sit down. They had talked non-stop discussing their day and providing input and opinions to each other's jobs. Melinda worked as a sales consultant in a blind company that her sister owned. Em worked as a public relations expert for the city they lived in. They both met demanding people wherever they went and while neither was passionate about their jobs they enjoyed them and it provided them with a living.

Neither of them were big eaters but each sampled a little of everything. By the time all the smores were made and stored in plastic bowls as little treats for the coming week they were both pleasantly full. The grill had burned down to a few remaining coals and Em stuck a few marshmallows on the coals themselves to burn and make a nice fragrance. They laughed as they gave each of the 'boys' a marshmallow to eat. Watching the dogs eat these spongy treats was hilarious. The boys didn't realize they were dogs so they ate everything 'their' humans did.

Em helped clean up and store their veritable feast. They made sure the automatic feeder was full for the dogs and their water dish full. Em checked the cat feeder which was kept on the wide counter back from where either dog could reach it. Everything was stored in the kitchen, cleaned up inside and out, and they retired comfortably to the couch. Em sat leaning against Melinda as she caressed the redhead's long dark hair. Em turned on the television for their favorite television show 'Grey's Anatomy'. It came on at 9 every Thursday which was why they had designated Thursday nights 'family night' and never missed it. This particular episode had been a long time in coming. It was their famous musical event and they both had been eagerly awaiting it. It was one of the many reasons Em had made this 'family night' extra special with their feast.

Neither of them felt like opening the plastic containers with chips and popcorn they were so full from dinner but each helped themselves to their third and last two foot Corona for the show. The normal glass bottles had been put away in the fridge for another time.

The show was just lovely. Each of them loved how the producers of the show had integrated Callie Torres' and Arizona Robins accident into a musical. They had both wondered how lame it would be when they had heard that the show was going to do this. It wasn't lame at all, instead they used current and popular songs. It was tastefully done. The actress who played Callie had an amazing and dynamic voice. She had won a Tony Award on Broadway years ago so that was to be expected. The drama held them throughout the hour long show and when Callie woke up and said she was going to marry Arizona they both smiled. It was a delightful end to their eventful day. Both of them were pleasantly sated from their long evening.

"I'm going to hit the shower" Em told her as she got up from Melinda's wandering hands. Not that she hadn't enjoyed it. She wondered if Melinda realized she had caressed, petted, and aroused her for an entire hour, but now she needed a shower. The wetness between her legs wasn't from the sweaty heat of the day and Melinda had given her an idea of how to end their delightful evening.

"I'm just going to catch the news" Melinda said absentmindedly, her mind wasn't on the tv at that moment, she was instead distracted by her girlfriend's body. She could smell the scent of Em's arousal.

Em hurried in the shower washing the stickiness from between her legs as she shaved her under arms and legs. Using liquid body soap she lathered up her body once more before washing her long tresses with shampoo. Turning off the shower she stood there a second before brushing her hair out as she thought about how aroused she became around Melinda. Sometimes it bothered her how wet she was all the time, almost in heat. She wore panty liners not because she wanted to save her expensive lingerie but because they were wet all the time when Melinda was around. The odor was sometimes embarrassing when it overflowed like it had tonight. Not that she didn't like the odor, she did but it was a good thing they were home together because Melinda could arouse her anytime, anyplace and frequently did.

Em was brushing her long tresses out when Melinda came into their bedroom and began to get out of her clothes. Em paused as she watched her from the mirror that was positioned to look out beyond the bathroom door to their adjoining bedroom. As she pulled off her blouse the beautiful smooth skin was revealed. As more and more of it showed up as she removed her clothing Em's strokes with the brush slowed. Melinda caught her staring and smiled a knowing smile. In bra and panties she approached the bathroom door.

"Something wrong?" she asked with a little arch in her eyebrow. Her dark brown eyes sparkled with something more than laughter as she watched the naked redhead in the mirror. Her long red hair glistened under the lights and normally Melinda would have admired it but it was the hazel green eyes that held her at this moment.