Finding Her Way in a Storm Ch. 13-21

"So, you two plan on staying for a while?"

Lisa stared back at her over Macey's head almost sheepishly, suddenly appearing much younger and unsure of herself. There was evident angst and apprehension in her eyes. A look that almost seemed to beg not to be rejected.

"I'd like to...that is, if you two will have me."

Skyler didn't reply, merely sipping at her coffee as she met Lisa's needful glare. The beautiful brunette's gaze seemed to beg for her approval, extending some power to Skyler that the teen wasn't so sure she possessed.

She could tactfully and as gracefully as possible deny her consent, but really, what would that be worth if it was what Kaia truly wanted? And in Skyler's mind, there was no doubt of that.

"I'm not sure it's really a matter of what I want," Skyler replied, sidestepping the question.

Lisa gave her a perplexed look, biting at her bottom lip, seeming to want to ask a question, but holding off. Instead, she bounced Macey on her knee and waited for Skyler to elaborate.

Skyler sighed, took a sip of her coffee, and then sat back in her chair. As much as she liked Lisa, and the younger woman really did, she wasn't sure she wanted to discuss this. In truth, Skyler wasn't entirely sure of how she felt about it herself.

Would it be so bad to talk it out with Lisa, or would it be a stupid thing to do? After all, she was the other woman in this love triangle. How did she know that Lisa might not twist anything she said to her advantage? As much as the sexy brunette seemed to have taken to her, could Skyler really trust her?

"Last night was...it was..."

"What, Skyler? Just say it."

Skyler studied Lisa's face, wanting to believe her concern was genuine and not self-serving. She desperately felt the need to discuss this with someone, but was Lisa the smartest choice? Maybe Becka would be better. At the very least, she could be impartial.

"Nothing," Skyler said, shaking her head as she stared down into her cup of coffee. "I'm just getting caught up in my own head, I guess."

Skyler prayed that Lisa wouldn't pry any further. She didn't want to play down the emotions she was feeling. The teen desired to own them, embrace them, and try to understand what they meant. To do that, she needed time. It was the only way that she'd ever be able to be objective about what Kaia seemed to be proposing.

"Well, if you do need to talk. I'm more than willing to listen. You could have been a complete bitch last night, but you weren't. You were one of the few people that's shown me compassion despite all that's happened, and you'll never know how important that was to me.

And just so you know. I'm not totally tone-deaf. I realize something happened last night between you two while I was feeding Macey. The room was completely different when I returned, and I know Kaia; whatever it was had her really upset."

Skyler took a deep breath and slowly exhaled as she tried to reign in her emotions. The teen beauty was determined that she would not cry.

It was nearly an hour later that they heard Kaia first stirring, the sounds of the pipes in the old house alerting the pair to the fact Kaia was in the shower. Skyler was holding Macey, cooing to the little girl who had just eaten a belly full of baby food. The tiny little girl was in a state of utter contentment as she gnawed on the knuckle of Skyler's right hand.

Lisa was in the middle of making breakfast. She'd found the fixings in Kaia's fridge to make us all Denver omelets and was busy working around the stove, a domestic goddess if there ever was one. Skyler felt her nerves flutter as she heard the shower cut off, suddenly anxious to face her girlfriend.

Minutes later, Lisa was setting plates of food on the table and suggesting to Skyler that she go and let Kaia know that breakfast was ready. Maybe it was the sudden trepidation she felt showing up on her face; Skyler wasn't entirely sure. But Lisa didn't hesitate to reassure her.

"It's okay, sweetie. You two will get through this. Just give everything time to marinate a little without overreacting. She loves you unconditionally, and deep down, she knows you feel the same way."

Skyler stood, making her way down the hall and to the bedroom as she clutched Macey against her chest like a protective totem. She wasn't sure of the reaction she expected to get from Kaia, and what's more, wasn't utterly sure of how she would feel seeing her. Skyler still couldn't help but feel betrayed, even if she had relented to the experience. When it came right down to it, the teen felt things never should have gotten to that point. At least not without her and Kaia sitting down for a long, soul-searching talk first.

Peaking around the doorway, Kaia saw Skyler standing there with her back turned. She was bent at the waist as she slid on a pair of black boy shorts. When she'd straightened up, Skyler couldn't help but sigh to herself at the sight of Kaia's muscular back. The V taper of her shape had always been appealing to the younger woman. It was powerful while still remaining decidedly feminine.

Skyler stood watching her girlfriend slide on a shirt over her braless breasts when a squeal from Macey gave her away.

"Hey," was all Skyler could manage, her cheeks flushing at being caught ogling the woman that she loved.

"Hey, Sky,"

The two stared at each other, Skyler suddenly unsure of what to say next. The sound of dishes clattering from the general direction of the kitchen saved Skyler, a reminder of why she'd been sent that way in the first place.

"Lisa made omelets, and there is fresh coffee. It's all ready now if you want to come and eat."

Kaia merely nodded her head in acceptance. Skyler couldn't tell if her silence was due to the discomfort that had settled between them or from residual anger at the way Skyler had acted the night before.

She turned and fled like a coward rather than staying to try and figure out where the two of them stood. It wasn't possible anyway when she didn't know herself.

The three women enjoyed their breakfast in mostly silence, with only Macey's antics subverting the room's tension. Lisa tried in vain to gently stir the conversation. But finally, a begging look from Skyler got the dark-headed beauty to let the subject go.

Skyler passed Macey off to Kaia after breakfast, intending to do the dishes. Lisa offered to help, but Skyler shooed the two women out of the kitchen. She needed time to think and couldn't do it with Kaia in the room. The conflicting urges she felt directed towards the cocoa-skinned goddess had given her the start of what felt like a migraine.

By the time she had finished her chore, Skyler knew what it was that she needed to do.

She could hear Kaia and Lisa in the front room as she stealthily made her way into the bedroom. Skyler quickly dressed and spent a few minutes in the bathroom working to make herself look presentable. She then found her cell phone where it had been left charging overnight.

Kaia was sitting on the floor with Macey, dangling a rattle over the little girl as her uncoordinated little hands tried in vain to reach it. Lisa sat on the sofa, watching the two in front of her with a look of glee. In Lisa's world, all was right at the moment, and Skyler couldn't help but wonder if Kaia didn't feel the same way.

It was Lisa who spotted her first, the smile on her face momentarily faltering as she took in Skyler. Kaia noticed her a moment later, the playful smile that had been on her face disappearing in a flash.

"Um, I'm going to run home. I have to make sure my Dad isn't freaking out about last night. Oh, and I kind of promised Becka that I would drop by sometime today."

"Should I expect you back?" Kaia asked, her voice sounding sad, and the meaning of her words clearly full of subtext.

"Eventually."

That was it. All that Skyler could manage to get out was that one word. Why was it so hard to talk to her? Skyler felt as though she'd been muzzled, limiting her ability to speak. She simply turned and walked out the front door, careful not to allow the screen to slam behind her.

Her phone was in her hand by the time she'd hit the walkway, a familiar number already being dialed.

"Hello?" came Becka's groggy voice after six rings. "I hope somebody is dead to be calling me at this ungodly hour."

Skyler rolled her eyes and said, "It's after ten in the morning, Becka. I'd hardly consider that as early."

She heard her longtime friend groan almost painfully before Becka said, "You might if you'd been doing what I was until almost dawn this morning."

"Still celebrating finally graduating high school?" Skyler asked playfully, though her heart really wasn't in the joke.

"Fuck that. That was my mom's thing. I'm celebrating having a hot body and a wet pussy."

Skyler couldn't help but smile at her friend's bawdy and crass choice of language. It was like the childhood friend she'd grown up with had been kidnapped, a demented clone returned in her place.

"What's wrong, Skyler? I know you didn't call me on a Saturday morning just to trade insults."

Skyler released a prolonged sigh and said, "I could really use a friend right now."

After a brief moment of hesitation, Skyler heard Becka say, "The keys under the flowerpot at the back door. Just let yourself in and come on up. Mom is gone to some ladies retreat this weekend."

Less than fifteen minutes later, Skyler was sitting cross legged on Becka's bed, relaying the story of Lisa's arrival and the tale of what had actually transpired while Kaia was overseas and after her return. Then, with some reluctance, she'd relayed Kaia's proposal followed by everything that had followed. It took her almost forty-five-minutes to tell the entire tale.

And Becka's response?

"Wow, you really are a slut, Skyler."

The auburn-haired teen had been forced to squint her eyes and grit her teeth to keep from laughing.

"And what were you doing until dawn this morning. Or allow me to rephrase that. Who were you doing until dawn this morning."

"Silas Crowder, nice cock, and he really knows how to use it for an older guy. And those little blue pills kept him properly motivated all night long."

Skyler's eyes went wide in shock.

"You mean Deacon Crowder? The guy that owns all those tire shops? The guy who teaches the adult Sunday School class at my dad's church? Please tell me that isn't who you're talking about, Becka."

The evil little grin that promptly appeared on her friend's face told Skyler that was exactly who she meant.

"Yeah, he's been hitting on me almost since the moment I got back into town. We've been hooking up for about a month now. Mostly in his office at work or in their stockroom. But his lovely wife is on the same lame retreat as my mom this weekend, so he got to fuck me in their bed for once."

Skyler flopped back against the wall and shook her head, flabbergasted at her shameless friend.

"And you called me a slut?"

"Hey, I'm not a slut. I'm a nymphomaniac. It's a disability you know."

Skyler could only laugh, knowing that despite the stern look on Becka's face, she wasn't even remotely serious.

"What am I going to do, Becka?" Skyler finally asked once she'd quit laughing. Even if her friend couldn't offer her salient advice, Skyler was glad she'd sought her out. Even if it was only for comic relief.

"Well, I don't suppose that giving them both up and just eating my pussy for now on is an option?" Becka said, pausing for effect.

"No thanks. I'll have to pass on old man Crowder's creampie."

That got a laugh from Becka, who then shoved a hand down in her panties before pulling it out and licking her fingers, sucking at them as she moaned her approval.

"Can you not be serious for a moment?"

Becka stuck out her tongue in response before pouting her lip in disapproval at having her fun spoiled.

"Fine," Becka replied with a roll of her eyes. "So, this polyamorous thing Kaia is suggesting, and I assume that's what she's talking about, right?

"I think so. I mean, that's how I took it and it was clear that Lisa thought so too."

Skyler watched as Becka stood and walked over to her desk, retrieving an Ipad. She then sat patiently watching as Becka searched out Lisa's social media page, her eyes going wide before looking back up at Skyler.

"Lisa is pretty fucking hot. I mean, you sure the thought of doing this doesn't appeal to you at all? I haven't been with a woman since Cali, and just looking at her is making my pussy wet."

Skyler resisted the strong urge to point out that there was actually very little in the world that didn't make Becka's pussy wet.

"Oh, she's gorgeous. And the sex was completely hot."

Becka shrugged her shoulders in confusion, one eyebrow shooting up at Skyler as she said, "Then I don't see what the problem is my friend. I mean, other than the rugrat, it sounds like a sweet deal to me."

Skyler couldn't help but groan. Becka really was a walking hormone.

"The problem is I'm madly in love with Kaia. I strongly suspected that she was still in love with Lisa, but it was evident seeing them together. When I told her that she needed to face those feelings and deal with them head-on, I didn't mean a threesome. She just sprung that on me, putting me on the spot. It might have been different if we'd had time to discuss things in private. Then maybe I could have gotten used to the idea, at least as a one-time thing. But Kaia took that option away from me."

Becka shook her head, saying, "From what you told me, Skyler. You could have said no and that would have ended things right there. So if you were so opposed to doing it, then why did you agree?"

Skyler sat there, suddenly feeling utterly flustered. Why had she agreed? It was easy to say the act had been done out of pity for Lisa and Kaia, but that wasn't necessarily the truth. There was something else there that had driven her to acquiesce, but she couldn't quite grasp what it was.

Her shoulders slumping, Skyler said, "I don't know, Becks, not really. I mean I wanted to make Kaia happy, and I didn't want to hurt Lisa. I really felt bad for everything she's been through."

"But that wasn't it, was it?"

Skyler nodded her head, knowing there was something else niggling at the back of her mind, but was unable to wholly grasp it.

Was it the naughtiness of the situation that had driven her to agree? If that was the case, then why had she become so hurt as the situation progressed. If it was just the thought of a threesome with two incredibly sexy women, then why hadn't she simply given herself over to it?

"Take a day or two to think it over," Becka said, clearly seeing the indecision on Skyler's face. "I mean, you don't have to repeat or make a decision any time soon do you?"

"No."

"Then don't feel pressured into it. Skyler's pretty cool for somebody that doesn't like cock, and God knows it's evident how much she loves you. Don't let anybody push you into anything until you're ready to decide what it is you want to do."

Skyler kissed her friend's cheek and said goodbye, smiling when Becka asked her to promise that she wouldn't be such a promiscuous lesbian slut anymore. She then made her way back home, wanting to put in an appearance, and knowing that her parents would have questions.

She found her mother in the kitchen, the smell of baking cookies wafting in the air around her. Bree Ann Grace looked like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting, the modest flower print dress and white apron lined with puffy lace reminding Skyler of something out of the fifties. The teen had always admired her mother's ability to be utterly content in her life, regardless of how sedate and boring it seemed to Skyler.

"Hey, Mom," Skyler said, causing her mother to jump slightly in surprise.

"Skyler!" Bree Ann replied, clearly glad to see her daughter. She then added much quieter, "Are you alone?"

Walking over and kissing her mom on the cheek, Skyler said, "Yeah, it's just me."

"So...you left Kaia alone? With that woman, I mean?"

Skyler leaned against the counter, crossing her arms as she suddenly wondered what the two of them had been up to since she'd escaped their company this morning. Skyler had been in such a hurry to discuss the situation with Becka that she hadn't even briefly thought of the potential consequences.

"Yes, they're alone."

"And the thought of that doesn't scare you?"

Taking a moment to allow her mother's question to sink in, Skyler was surprised to realize that it didn't. I mean, what would be the point now? Skyler had left the barn door wide open last night. So, either the livestock had escaped by now, or it hadn't.

Ignoring her mother's query, Skyler said, "Is Dad around?"

"He's in his study. Would you like for me to get him?"

Skyler shook her head and said, "No, but can we get out of the house for a bit? I want to talk to you about this, but I don't want to chance dad overhearing us."

"Oh, dear," her mother replied, suddenly looking far more concerned.

It took another five minutes of waiting for the oatmeal raisin cookies to finish baking. But once they were cooling on the top of the stove, Bree Ann removed her apron, and the two women headed for the front door.

Holding her index finger to her lips, Skyler's mom stopped at the door to her husband's study. Knocking, she opened the door and stuck her head in, telling Jonathan that she was going for a short walk and reminding him that the cookies cooling in the kitchen were for one of their shut-in congregants.

When they were out on the sidewalk and walking hand in hand, Skyler couldn't help but feel her burdens lift. Even though she knew it would only be a temporary fix, her mother had always had that effect on her. Most female contemporaries her age spent countless hours bitching about their mothers, but not Skyler. Her mom had always been Skyler's closest confidant and source of strength in life, at least until Kaia had come along.

They'd walked along the sidewalk for several minutes without saying a word. Skyler knew that her mother was being patient and waiting for her to start, but doing so was a struggle.

"Goodness, sweetie, just spit it out," her mother finally exclaimed. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not as bad as you think."

Skyler let the story spill out after that. How Lisa showed up with her little girl out of the blue, just as they'd always feared, only for them to discover how things hadn't been quite what Kaia had thought. Skyler relayed in intimate detail all of Lisa's tale, for some reason wanting her mom to have the same empathy for the beautiful brunette as she did. Skyler then went into detail about Kaia's reaction and how it had only reiterated to Skyler what she'd always suspected, that Kaia was still in love with her former fiance.

"I guess not, honey. I mean, she never did get an opportunity for closure. This Lisa was just snatched away from her and cut out of Kaia's life. I guess I could see all of those old feelings flooding back once she saw her again. And hearing Lisa's story, Kaia has to be regretting that she gave up so easily."

Skyler nodded her head and said, "I know, that was what I was thinking too at the time. When we were alone, I told Kaia what I thought and that she needed to deal with the emotions she was feeling. I told her I didn't want there to be any regrets between us later on."

"And?"

Skyler sighed, pointing at a nearby park bench, and suggested they sit down. When they were both seated, Skyler related the rest of the conversation she and Kaia had with Lisa, including the questions Kaia had asked. Then, with a blush of embarrassment, Skyler told her the solution Kaia had come up with, leaving out the sex the three of them had later on.

Skyler watched her mother's face when she was done speaking. Bree Ann Grace stared out into the park, watching a group of young boys gathered there for a game of pickup football. Skyler followed her mother's eyes and watched the ragtag group of prepubescent boys roughly ravage each other on the field. Nearby, a small group of three female admirers watched them from the treeline, giggling to one another as they swooned after one boy or another on the field.