Mike & Karen Ch. 29

"They died a long time ago, and we came to live with our aunt and uncle here in Toronto," Margaret said quietly. "They looked after us, gave us a place to live, but they didn't really care for us too deeply. They... did their duty."

"Two young girls, lost and afraid, and you only had each other," Alexa said quietly, nodding. "You only had each other emotionally, and the natural thing happened, you fell in love."

The sisters both nodded. "It wasn't all that hard to keep it out of sight with our aunt and uncle, they didn't pay too much attention, they just made sure we had food, clothes, went to school, and all that. They made sure our parents' insurance and trust fund were used properly for us."

"And it's getting harder and harder to conceal," Alex mused, picturing their lives. "It's hard for two grown women to be lovers under someone else's roof."

"Alex and I understand," Alexa said, still holding their hands. "We tortured ourselves through all of last summer, trying to hide it, thinking no one could ever understand or accept us."

"Were you wrong?" Shana asked, her voice carrying a note of hope.

"Somewhat," Alex answered with a small shrug. "We made it harder on ourselves than we needed to, but it's no walk in the park, that's for sure. You must know about the smear and hate campaign against us here at the university, even if the vast majority of people support us."

"Do you think going public at the Christmas concert was the right thing to do?"

"I nearly died of a heart attack when I heard Alex doing it," Alexa said, fixing him with a look. He tried to seem innocent, glancing at the ceiling. "He says even he didn't know he was going to do it until a split second before he did it."

"Well, it might've been a couple of seconds more than just a split second," Alex allowed, looking at the girls again. "But it was a gamble that happened to pay off. Everyone was full of Christmas music and Christmas cheer, and nobody wanted to yell 'Boooooo!' inside the hall, obviously."

"See what I have to put up with?" Alexa asked, trying to sound long-suffering. The sisters actually smirked, and Shana even giggled a little.

"But," Alex said, taking on a cautionary tone. "Under no circumstances do I think you two should try and do the same thing."

"You don't?" Margaret asked, her voice sounding almost heartbroken. "We... we thought you might think it was a good idea."

"That idea's bad. Atari Jaguar bad," Alex stated, his voice leaving no room to doubt how serious he was. "If your relationship went public, it would destroy you both. Shana, be honest with me. How many times have you contemplated hurting yourself or just dying because of this?"

Alexa closed her eyes as Shana gasped and shuddered, almost collapsing in on herself, starting to cry. Margaret's eyes flew wide and she looked at her sister in shock and sudden fear.

"Shaen?" she asked, taking her hand out of Alexa's and putting both on her sister's shoulders. "Omigod, Shaen... for real? Why... why didn't you say anything?"

"I'm sorry!" Shana sobbed, collapsing into her sister, unable to hold back. "Peg, I'm so sorry!"

Alex and Alexa were quiet while the sisters hugged one another miserably. Clearly they'd hoped that these two would be able to give them the strength to do the unthinkable, but that wasn't happening. Alexa felt a lump in her throat as she watched, the corners of her eyes stinging. Hadn't she been wrestling with these exact same terrors and miseries less than a year ago?

It seemed unfair, somehow, that she was getting her golden fairy-tale ending and these two, who were so very desperately in love and needed one another after a devastating shared trauma, should be denied it.

"It's okay, Shaen," Margaret whispered, kissing the top of her sister's head as she caressed her brown hair. "It's okay. We'll figure it out, but don't ever leave me."

"I won't, I promise," Shana gasped, shuddering and holding her sister tight. "I'm sorry I was so weak! I'm sorry I had those thoughts, I couldn't help it."

"I hate that Alexa and I don't have a simple answer for you," Alex said quietly, moving closer now. "There wasn't a magic wand for us, and it's even tougher for you two. I don't think any law in any country would support what you have."

The sisters were listening, but they were just holding one another, sniffling and trembling.

"But that doesn't mean you won't be in love for the rest of your lives, and it doesn't mean that you can be apart," he continued. "Without one another, you'll clearly die."

No response, just more listening.

"Let's treat this objectively and logically, then," he said, folding his arms and going into problem-solver mode. "You're in love, clearly. Be honest, are you lovers? Like Alexa and I are. Do you make love?"

They both nodded, heads still buried together, unable to look up.

"No judgement here," he continued. "In fact, if you make one another happy, I'm fine with it, and so is Alexa. You need to understand that. When I said legally this would never work for you, I was just explaining a technicality."

Alexa eased herself onto the large desk beside Margaret, who was turned away from her, and simply waited, watching.

"You're both students here, right?" Alex asked.

Another nod before Margaret finally looked up. Her eyes were bleary and red. "I'm a sophomore, Shaen's in her first year. We're only about eighteen months apart in age."

"Same as Alexa and myself. And you said that you have your parents' life insurance and a trust fund," he continued.

Another nod from the older sister.

"What you two need is your own place," Alex suggested. "Student sisters living together is hardly an eye-blinker. At least then, you can be yourselves, right?"

Shana sniffled and looked up from her sister's shoulder. "But won't finding a place take forever? We're not rich."

"I have no clue," Alex admitted while Alexa patted Margaret's back gently. "But you need goals, so that you don't feel trapped and hopeless. The path Alexa and I are walking, I doubt it could ever be yours, even if I want it to be. But that doesn't mean you can't live happy lives together. You just... won't be legally married is all."

Shana wiped at her eyes while Margaret took a deep breath. "We've said we were married for years now. Shaen's not just my sister, she's my wife."

"And Peg's my wife," Shana added.

"I wish you wouldn't call me Peg, Shaen, I hate it," Margaret sighed, making her younger sister sniffle-giggle.

"Y'hate Maggie even more, so there's no winning, is there?" Shana teased, smiling up at her sister lovingly.

"Oh, Alex, they'd be kissing right now if we weren't here," Alexa said, standing up. "We should-"

"No, wait," Margaret said rather hastily, holding up a hand. "Please, don't go yet. We... please don't."

Alex and Alexa both paused and looked at the sisters quietly. Margaret and Shana turned to gaze into each other's eyes for a moment before pressing their lips together and melting in a kiss that was punctuated with moans of what sounded like relief. It must have lasted over thirty seconds before they released from their embrace and sighed heavily.

"That wasn't gross, was it?" Margaret asked, blushing now.

"Pretty sure no straight man on the planet thinks sisters making out is gross," Alexa said with a smirk, nudging Alex. "And I'm actually bi, so girls kissing is hot for me too."

"Thanks, I... we were terrified to do that in front of you, but we'd resolved that if you seemed like you were okay with us, we'd try it," Margaret managed to say. "I'm so relieved you didn't freak."

"I'm gonna ask you a question, and I hope I'll have a helpful thought after that," Alex said. "But please be honest in your answer."

The sisters nodded.

"In a very general sense, where in Toronto do you live?" he asked. "No need for a street or anything, just generally. Large neighbourhood stuff."

The sisters looked at one another before Margaret answered. "Our aunt and uncle's house is in the Junction. We each have a small bedroom."

"And it's getting too small," Alex said, nodding. "Even just for having some fun, right?"

The sisters blushed, but Margaret also nodded. "Our aunt is always home. It's really difficult now, it makes me crazy."

"You need a place nearby campus where you can safely express yourselves with no judgement and that isn't a broom closet in the basement of the Sciences faculty," Alex concluded. Alexa looked at him now, seeing where he was going with this and nodding in approval.

"You... y'mean like rent a hotel room?" Shana asked.

"No, I mean a safe space," Alex iterated. "Alexa and I live too far away for us to be convenient. Until you get a place of your own, you two deserve a chance to express your love for one another without worry. What if I was fairly certain we could make that happen?"

Margaret swallowed. "How?"

A few minutes later...

The room was slightly more crowded now, but the mood was considerably more upbeat. On the other hand, Alex knew it could accommodate at least six people, one of whom was his oversized father and his tall, statuesque mother, so they were fine in here as is. There were six people now, none of whom displaced as much water as Michael DeBourne.

"So, then," Alex said, grinning. "Fre and Jeanie'll let you come over to their place, and you can use the guest room to get your sisterly sin on. All you have to do is coordinate with them."

"I can't believe it," Shana breathed while Freja and Jeanie stood nearby them, smiling happily while they held hands. "Peg, we're gonna have a place we can safely do... y'know."

"Fuck," Jeanie said, smirking. "G'head, say it. You're not gonna have any secrets around Fre'n me."

"We can make love, we can... fuck..." Shana said in a quiet voice, as if the she could taste the forbidden word. She then squealed and threw herself against her sister in a hug. "We can fuck!"

"Yes, Shaen, we can fuck," Margaret laughed before looking at Alex. "And that's a good little mental trick, by the way. Instead of living in fear because of the taboo all the time and crying, we'll be excited and giddy about sneaking away to be naughty. I already feel better."

"I'm glad," Alex said, nodding. "And like I promised, we know some people, so we'll help with finding you an apartment near the campus that's in your price range. There's gotta be something coming up for the new semester."

"What about that old purple place, just two blocks west?" Alexa queried, looking at Alex. "I think there's one or two fourth-years living there, so it might be available if we grab it."

"Lemme step out onto campus and make a call," Alex said, pulling out his phone. "I'll meet you all upstairs."

Once he was gone and closed the door, the sisters were still very giddy, almost gasping in excitement. Alexa, Freja, and Jeanie were standing close to them, almost in a protective circle, while they tried to compose themselves.

"This is better than I imagined," Shana said, her eyes wet with tears of relief. "I... I thought nothing'd come of today, but you and Alex turned this all around for us. I never thought anything could make me this happy without it being my sister."

"Hey, you deserve happiness," Alexa cooed, reaching up and putting her hand on the younger sister's cheek, which was now okay to do. "You can consider yourselves married at Freja and Jeanie's all you want, right ladies?"

Freja shrugged. "As far as I am concerned, they are married. They are in love, so they can marry."

"Thanks," Margaret sniffled, feeling the anxiety and tension bleed away from her. "I can't tell you how much this means to us. Pretty sure our aunt and uncle won't mind having their house back to themselves after thirteen years, either. I wish we could thank them."

Alexa smiled. "We'll make sure they end up getting to go on a really nice vacation. I'm just glad we found some way for you to be yourselves as a couple, even if you can't ever really marry legally."

"Just being together in peace is enough," Shana sighed, putting her head on her sister's shoulder. "Peg is everything to me."

"Don't call me that," Margaret muttered.

"So are they cute kissing?" Jeanie asked, looking at Alexa. "Y'said they showed you."

Alexa shrugged. "They kissed a bit, but they were really nervous. I'll bet if they showed you a kiss now, they'd be a lot more into it."

Margaret and Shana's eyes widened. "Y'mean... kiss right here and now like we normally do?"

Jeanie shrugged now. "If you're gonna be over at our place, you're gonna see Fre'n me scissoring everywhere, so we might as well get used to it, right?"

"Besides," Alexa laughed gaily, her lyrical voice filling the dingy little room with joy. "Wait'll you see the shower you'll end up using."

Freja and Jeanie both burst out laughing while Margaret pulled her sister into a deep kiss, snaking her tongue into her mouth while her hand slipped up under Shana's shirt...

***

A campus study hall, Tuesday morning, 1987...

Mike had papers spread out over a section of the table, but he wasn't studying. Instead, he was putting together an adventure for his players in a new roleplay system they wanted to try out, Warhammer. He'd played the tabletop version and loved it, so writing out adventures now for actual characters would be-

He stopped writing as he felt someone standing near him. He put down his pencil and looked up, not terribly surprised to see a skinny platinum blonde standing in front of him almost glowering. She stared at him for several seconds before she finally spoke, far too loud for his liking.

"Last night didn't count!" she hissed, still glaring at him. "I was a virgin, I didn't know what to do! Unfair advantage on your part! I challenge you again, and this time, I will win! Bet on it! Your room, tonight, mister!"

She turned and stomped off, but everyone could see she was walking funny. No sooner was she out of the study hall than dozens of sets of eyes all turned and looked at Mike.

"Would you all believe I was teaching her to play Uno?" he asked with a shrug.

***

Blackwell Manor, the Atwood Lounge, Tuesday, midday, the present...

Jenny was sitting in a chair, kicking her foot back and forth impatiently, checking her cellphone almost every minute. She kept huffing until Valentina, who was in the corner making a martini for the aristocrat, couldn't take it anymore and turned to look at the countess, curtsying.

"My lady," she said, trying to hide the distress in her voice. "You've gotta tell me what's wrong or I'm gonna die from the stress of not being able to make it right."

The buxom blonde sighed and shook her head. "Nothing really, lovey, I just haven't heard from Mill since she messaged me from Heathrow. I expected her to call me when she got to Pearson, which should have been some time ago. I have heard nothing, so I am just fretting. It's very unlike her not be in touch."

Val considered. "Did she give you her flight number?"

"Well, no."

"British Airways?"

Jenny nodded.

The housemaid thought about that and then spoke to seemingly nobody. "Hey, Vedette? Have any British Airways planes crashed over the Atlantic today?"

A pleasant but disembodied voice that sounded a lot like Karen answered her. "No British Airways planes are reported to have crashed anywhere in the world today."

Val nodded. "Are all scheduled flights from Heathrow to Pearson arriving on schedule?"

"All scheduled flights from Heathrow to Pearson International have been arriving on schedule."

Jenny frowned. "Did... did the house just tell you that my sister's plane has landed safely?"

"Yes, my lady. The program just got installed, I'm told. I've only tried it once before. I try to not use it, it freaks me out."

Jenny shook her head. "Heatherly is clearly out of date and needs rewiring. Vedette is an infinitely apropos name, given that you couldn't call it Alexa. The voice even sounds like Kat's. How is that possible?"

"I don't know, countess," the brunette confessed. "I think I remember hearing Mistress giving Ari voice samples for some computer program, but I'll be darned if I know what was going on. It's all very Star Trekky to me."

"I've even tried calling Mill, but I'm getting no response," Jenny complained. Her hands were empty, and Val was just pouring the martini. "However, I am glad to hear-"

"We've got an inbound limo-taxi, folks," Ari broke in over the comm system.

"All staff to the grand foyer," Tatyana added a second later.

"That must be Mill," Jenny mused. "I guess we won't be sending Glenda for her."

"And I just finished this martini for you, too," Val sighed, looking down at the beverage.

"That's fine, bring it here, lovey," Jenny said, holding out her hand. No sooner had Valentina given it to her than she just threw it back and swallowed. "Ah, better. Right, let's go..."

Val blinked but then put the martini glass back on the tray and hurried after the countess. By the time they'd reached the foyer on the bel étage, most of the staff was already lined up, being inspected by Tatyana. Since the guest arriving was titled, they were going to greet Millie the way they'd greeted Jenny. Karen and Mike wouldn't have it any other way. Jenny stood apart from the group and waited patiently.

"David, the door, please..." Tatyana said.

The senior landscaper went to the door and opened it, just in time for a slender brunette with her hair in a bun to come inside. She was wearing well-made jeans and a cashmere sweater under a bolero jacket, but she wasn't glamorous by any means. She was attractive in a rather normal sort of way. She beamed a smile as she walked in.

"Millie!" Jenny called, trotting up and hugging her younger sister. "You made it! How is my favourite oopsie?"

"You don't need to remind me the moment I get in the door, Jen," Millie sighed, hugging her sister back. "I'm so sorry I didn't call, there was... an issue with my phone just before I boarded, and damned if I could remember your number once I'd landed so that I could make a call. Luckily, I remembered the address."

"Was your flight okay?" Jenny asked, pulling back from the hug but still holding her sister by the waist.

"It was... less than peaceful, I confess," Millie said somewhat reluctantly.

"Bad passengers?"

"One exceptionally bad one, in fact," the younger woman admitted. "As a matter of fact... give me just a moment all of you, please..."

Millie stepped back from her sister and then headed back out the door, and everyone watched curiously, Jenny included. She raised an eyebrow as she watched her sister trot down to the waiting limo taxi, opening the back door and then getting inside partially. Her butt wiggled around outside the vehicle while she did something.

Finally, she heard Millie muttering, but it was drowned out by the sound of a shrill little voice complaining.

"Timaaaaa!" it groused.

"Oh, shit..." Jenny breathed, the colour leaving her face and a headache beginning.

"Sorry, all," Millie breathed, hauling someone into the foyer while in the background, the taxi driver was unloading her luggage. "I had to wake a certain someone up."

"Percy," Jenny stated, her voice rather firmly as she looked down at the tiny person her sister was dragging. "What are you doing here?"

The young man blinked as he heard the voice and looked up, going very still. "M... Mimi..." he said quietly.

"I'm so glad you remember me," she said dryly, looking at the eight-year-old. "Now answer me. Why are you with your tima?"

"I'd best field that one, Jen," Millie interjected, looking resigned to her fate. She didn't mean to be rude to the other people present, but introductions would have to wait. "I was getting ready to board at Heathrow, when Sammy and Tanya hurried up to me with this little sprog in tow."