Sweet Carolina Girls Part 5

"You've been together six years and you still get lonely for her when she works late. That's true love," Harper commented.

"No, it's human nature," Lauren sounded bitter. "You leave someone alone long enough and they'll get lonely. It's entirely possible to sit in the same room with another person and still be lonely."

Harper let that go and rode in silence for a few minutes before changing the subject, "Hey is this warehouse near the Durham Bats Stadium?"

Lauren answered, "It's not far. We'll drive by it."

True to her word they drove by the stadium. They chatted some about going to some Bulls games to see J.R., Harper's baseball friend. Lauren said they went with the softball team and all the families a few years back. They had a blast. Abby had her number called to run around the bases during the seventh inning stretch and got drunk enough to do it. It was hilarious. The Bull mascot kept b.u.t.ting her with his horns. By the time Lauren finished telling the story, she and Harper were both in tears and laughing uncontrollably. It felt good to laugh like that.

When they arrived at the warehouse, Lauren hit a garage door opener on her visor causing the rolling aluminum door to rise up in front of them. Lauren drove into the huge s.p.a.ce and hit the remote again to close the door behind them. Sunlight poured through the east facing windows high up on the walls. Some of the windows were made of old green gla.s.s, changing the shadows they cast to different colors. Lauren got out of the car, walked over to a support column hitting switches that lit the room from end to end.

Lauren had set up in one corner near what appeared to be an office with a pay window. She already had two large artist's tables, a desk, a drawing table, and lights placed around in the s.p.a.ce. Against the wall facing the street she had set up a table with a microwave and a small refrigerator. A large coffee pot sat next to the microwave. Near the end of the table, a half-eaten loaf of bread lay on top of a chopping block. Next to the table was one of those double chaise lounges with a blanket and pillow thrown on it. A small s.p.a.ce heater stood beside the bed next to a tall reading light that hung over the lounge.

"Wow, this is a fantastic s.p.a.ce, Lauren. I can see why you love it."

Harper helped Lauren unload the car. She followed her instructions placing the items as directed. She enjoyed watching Lauren, as she decided where to put things. Certain paintings had to go in the right stacks. She had a system, although Harper quit trying to guess what it was. Lauren would wrinkle her brow and lean her head to one side while she thought the process through. The bad part for Harper was Lauren looked so cute; the good part was Lauren was all business, when it came to her art and her studio. There were no longing glances, no touching, no innuendo-laced conversations, just work. Harper began to sweat and it felt good. She was clearing her body of the toxins from the alcohol. Eventually she had to pee.

"Lauren, is there a restroom in here?"

"Go into the office. It's on your left."

Harper left Lauren looking at two paintings. She had no idea what Lauren was looking at, but Harper thought both paintings were very well done. She entered the office through a metal door containing a window, with the gla.s.s crosshatched with wire. The room was small, but clean. Some of Lauren's clothes hung on a small iron rack in the corner and there were boxes Harper a.s.sumed held more. There were several kinds of shoes, from dress to tennis shoes. When she opened the bathroom door she realized it was a full bath with a shower. There was a toothbrush on the sink and various makeup and hair products on a small table, near the shower.

Harper opened the cabinet doors, under the tabletop. Inside were towels and washcloths, extra toilet paper and cleaning products. Behind the door was a thin, tall corner shelf unit made out of rattan and painted white. A hair dryer, cotton b.a.l.l.s, and some lotion were visible on the shelves. The bottom compartment contained tampons and pads. Lauren was setting up house.

When Harper stepped out of the bathroom she could see it now. Lauren had taken large and medium size canvases and suspended them from wire she had run in a rectangle s.p.a.ce about half the size of the warehouse floor. She was creating walls with her art. There she was on a cherry picker, that had come from G.o.d knows where, hanging a painting twice as tall as she was.

Harper rushed over to help. "Where in the h.e.l.l did this come from? You didn't paint this at your house."

Lauren tried to answer but she had a piece of wire sandwiched between her lips. Once the painting was hung, Lauren came down out of the cherry picker. She backed up and looked at the painting.

"These are things I had in storage. I painted most of these in college. I had forgotten how much I liked this one."

They were looking at a ten-foot tall naked woman, sleeping on her side. She was painted all in different color blues, greens and coppers marbled together and appearing to be running out of the woman's foot and off the canvas. She was painted on a canvas that appeared solid black, but if you moved to the side you could see the word aPromises' repeated in the background.

Harper looked at Lauren who was smiling at her quizzical look. "How did you do that?"

"It's the texture and pigment of the lettering paint. It's like when you brush suede with the grain and then run your finger in the opposite direction on the same spot."

Harper was enthralled, "It's amazing. Why haven't you sold it?"

"I need to keep this one. It has special meaning to me," Lauren said softly, still gazing at the painting.

"My G.o.d, Lauren. Who hurt you that much?"

"Shelby. Nine months after we started dating, in March of my senior year, she decided that I should keep my promise to my grandmother and go live in Europe for a year, after I graduated. She didn't want to be the reason I didn't go. She wanted me to go experience the world as a free young woman loose in Europe. She was setting me free."

"What did you do?" Harper asked Lauren, who was still staring at the painting, hands now on her hips.

"I cried and threw a fit like the child I was. I stomped out and did not see her for a month. I avoided her calls and when I did finally see her, I showed my a.s.s with a beautiful blonde cheerleader at the bar. When I finally calmed down and started to become more rational, I went to see her. I had a key to her apartment, so I let myself in. I shouldn't have. It's so cliche. I found her in bed with an old girlfriend. I left her apartment. Two days later, I was on a flight to Paris. I painted this the night I found her."

"f.u.c.k! How did you two recover from that?" Harper was eating it up like a soap opera.

"She came to Paris and found me. She left her work and followed me. That was the most romantic thing she could have done. You don't know Shelby like I do. She takes her work very seriously. I didn't need to hear about why she slept with that woman. I knew right then that I was the one she loved. We stayed in a little bed and breakfast for a week. We barely saw any of Paris. I flew home with her and I've been with her since then."

Lauren dropped her gaze from the canvas and turned to Harper, her eyes moist, "She's the love of my life."

Harper swallowed. Her mouth was dry. "That...tha...," she cleared her throat. "That's a sad, but beautiful story. At least there was a happy ending. s.h.i.t, I need some water."

Harper would have said anything to get off this subject.

Lauren pointed at the little refrigerator, "There are some water bottles, in the frig."

Harper bolted for the other side of the room. She took one bottle out of the refrigerator. She stood in one spot and drank the bottle down. She reached in and took another bottle and one for Lauren, then went back over to find Lauren, hoping she had moved on to a happier painting. Harper spotted her on the floor wiring a series of paintings together to form another vertical panel. She brought the water to Lauren who took it gratefully. They went to work together, wiring canvases and hanging them. It was one o'clock when they finally stopped. It was time for lunch and Harper had to get home.

They stopped at the Java Cafe for subs and iced tea. They kept the conversation light. Harper asked Lauren about growing up in Chapman's Mill. Lauren told her about tailgate parties and going to basketball games at UC. She described her mother and her complete dedication to her charitable causes. She talked about her distant banker, lawyer father, who never really had time for his kids. Lauren had only one brother, but many aunts, uncles and cousins. They spent summers together at the family compound on Kerr Lake. All in all she had a blessed childhood.

Harper told Lauren about growing up with her outdoor loving father, who was a geologist, and her theatrical mom. They hauled Harper to every historical site they could. She had hiked along the Appalachian Trail, seen Broadway shows, been cave diving in Mexico, walked on a glacier in Alaska and been to every building in the Smithsonian. Her parents believed in a well-rounded education. All of their vacations had educational value. Her father had been in the oil business and had even taken Harper with him on a trip to the Middle East.

By the time they finished lunch it was two o'clock. They had talked for an hour. Lauren was so easy to talk to. She really listened. You could see it in her eyes and expressions. She gave Harper all of her attention. Harper on the other hand listened to Lauren just as closely. Harper loved the way the words lilted out of Lauren's mouth. It wasn't thickly southern, like Holly Hunter, it was a soft accent heard only here and there. Lauren was so animated, talking with her hands, her face so expressive.

They managed to make it through lunch without getting near the subject of their undeniable attraction to each other. Shelby called while they were on the way to Harper's house. She chatted with both Harper and Lauren. She wanted to know how the s.p.a.ce was coming and if they had gotten much done.

"Thank you so much Harper. It means a lot to me. I know how badly Lauren wants to get this studio up and running. I'm just sorry I can't be of more help," Shelby said sincerely.

Lauren smiled at Harper. Harper replied to the roof of the car, "I had a great time. I saw some really nice pieces. She's quite an artist. I know you must be proud of her."

"Yes, I am. The reason I called is it looks like ten or eleven tonight, before I can get out of here. We've had a major malfunction with one of the machines and the data is going crazy. I have a technician on the way, but still, it will take hours to straighten this out. You two should go out, Lauren take her to a bar, and not the Tarr Barr. She's not going to meet anybody in there. Oh, they're waving at me. Got to go. See you tonight, love you."

Click the phone went dead. Lauren hit the phone b.u.t.ton on the mirror. "Your call has ended. Thank you for using Onstar," blared out of the speakers.

Lauren stared straight ahead and said nothing. Harper turned up the radio and they listened to a James Taylor CD in silence until they reached Kerrville.

"So you want to go out on the town with me tonight. It's Monday, but I know a bar that does Karaoke. It might be fun," Lauren winked at Harper.

"I hate to tell you, but I'm a Karaoke fiend. I can't resist singing. Do you think you can stand it?"

Lauren showed her dimples, "I think I can handle it."

"Okay, it's your fault, if we get thrown out."

"I except full responsibility, I'll pick you up at nine."

"Hey, how about you meet me here and we take a taxi. I really have this thing about drinking and driving," Harper said kicking at the rocks in the driveway.

"So, you think I'm going to get drunk?" Lauren smiled crookedly.

"I was kinda hoping so," Harper flirted.

"Okay taxi it is. Order one for nine o'clock and I'll be here with bells on."

Lauren drove away when Harper reached the door. Harper watched her leave again. Jasper met her at the door. As she petted him, she whispered in his ear, "Momma has a date tonight, little man."

Chapter Seven.

The Tar Heel taxi pulled up at exactly nine o'clock with Lauren hot on its heels. Harper shut and locked the front door. She bounded down the steps just in time to open the taxi door for Lauren. Lauren smiled and slid into the taxi. Harper climbed in and Lauren gave the driver the address. They sat back in the seat as the taxi pulled out of the driveway.

Harper had napped on the couch until the cable guy showed up. It wasn't the girl Lauren told her about; it was a hairy bear of a man. He hooked up her DVR box and wireless router. When he went outside for a few minutes, Harper opened the French doors to get the man smell out. He came back in, made sure everything worked properly, and then he was gone. It took all of twenty-five minutes.

Just as the cable guy was leaving, the delivery truck with the furniture from the farm arrived. More extremely odorous men trampled in and out. Once all the furniture was in place, she tipped the men and opened up every window in the house and a few doors too. After a good airing out, she shut the downstairs doors and windows and locked them. Harper did not want a repeat of yesterday's little interruption, while she was in the shower.

She showered and shaved her legs and pits. It wasn't that she thought she might have s.e.x, it was just time. Out of the shower she covered her body in lotion. She chose to wear a little makeup. She never wore heavy makeup. Harper liked the healthy natural farm girl look, but the winter had done away with her tan, and all she had were wind burned cheeks from running, and racc.o.o.n eyes from the sungla.s.ses she always wore. A little base, blush, some eye color, mascara and liner did the trick. Perfume and the white gold and diamond, horseshoe earrings her mother gave her and she was ready for clothes.

She went to the walk-in closet. Harper's clothes were divided into sports, casual, business, and formal. What category did Karaoke fit in? She decided on casual, leaning toward the nice restaurant casual. She chose an Eddie Bauer white shirt with rows of ruffles down the front and cuffs, her tightest pair of Rockies and the black leather belt with the big oval sterling silver buckle. She added her black big-st.i.tch waffle cardigan. She left the shirt unb.u.t.toned enough at the bottom to show the belt buckle and a little skin. The finishing touch was her gray elk skin boots. They were her favorite shoes, except for her cleats. The boots made her taller and completed the outfit perfectly. Harper looked in the full-length mirror. Not bad, she thought.

When she headed out the door, she stopped to get her wool duffel coat, because the weatherman said it was going to turn colder and she needed the pockets to carry her stuff. Her cell phone would definitely not fit in her jean's pockets.

Harper was pleased by the way Lauren looked at her, when she came down the front steps. Harper checked Lauren out, too. Lauren was wearing black pants, a black turtleneck and wool poncho, in a colorful Jacquard design. Her hair was wispy and perfect the way it fell across her forehead. Her makeup was flawless. She was gorgeous, Harper thought, and now she was riding in the back of a taxi with this gorgeous woman by her side. Life was good.

Then Lauren's phone rang. It was Chita. Lauren put her on speakerphone, so Harper could hear. Chita talked so fast, sometimes Lauren had to interpret. When Chita finished, Harper and Lauren just stared at each other. The gist of the conversation was Chita called Dee, who talked to Shelby. Shelby told Dee, that Lauren and Harper were going to WINKS for Karaoke night. Dee told Chita, Chita called Alicia. Alicia called Abby, Abby called Julie, then Julie called Chita, who by then invited Becky and Ellen, and now they were all coming to the bar.

Lauren hung up the phone. She smiled over at Harper, so much for Harper and Lauren being alone. It was probably for the best. They didn't speak. Both women turned their heads to look out the side windows. In a moment, Harper felt Lauren take her hand. They rode quietly like this all the way to the bar, lost in each other's thoughts.

When they arrived at the bar, Harper paid the taxi. He was a nice older gentleman, named Max, who said yes, m'am. She liked him. She asked if he was on duty the rest of the night. He was, so she got his direct cell number. She promised him a big tip, if he would be available for them all night. That settled she stepped up beside Lauren and offered her arm.

"Shall we?" she said.

They entered a one-story brick building with a silver awning. A small sign on the wall outside said simply WINKS. It was a member's only club, but evidently Lauren was a member. The crowd was already in full Karaoke mode. A short balding man with a beer belly was belting out a popular Garth Brooks song, quite unsuccessfully, but the crowd was singing along, so it helped.

Lauren took Harper's hand and led her to the bar. Harper noticed that all heads in the bar turned when they walked in. She was proud to be with Lauren. She could see from the looks they were getting that they too, made a stunning couple. Lauren spoke with the bartender who called over a waitress. In a few minutes, the staff put together enough tables so that the other eight people coming could all sit with them.

Harper took the seat at one end, Lauren the seat directly to her left. They had a good view of the stage. The waitress came and Harper ordered two shots of tequila for each of them and two Corona's. She ordered, because Lauren had not said a word since they sat down. When the shots arrived they slammed them both in succession. Lauren sighed deeply then looked at Harper.

"I was really looking forward to being alone with you tonight. I was ready to cut loose and have some fun." Lauren took a drink from her beer.

"Why can't you do that with the rest of them here?"

Lauren fiddled with the lime in the top of her bottle. "I don't know. I feel different around you. I don't have a past with you. I don't have anything to live down or live up to. To them, I'm sweet little Lauren, Shelby's wife, one half of the perfect couple."

"I think we're going to need more tequila." Harper signaled the waitress for another round of the same.

"Do you think getting me drunk is going to help my mood," Lauren winked at Harper.

"I don't know, but it's sure going to help mine," Harper winked back.

Someone slapped Harper on the shoulder. "Hey, you got started without us," Chita's thick accent arrived before she did. Harper looked up to see the whole crowd filing in one by one. She and Lauren stood to exchange hugs and pecks on the cheek.

Chita spread Harper's arms out and looked her up and down. "d.a.m.n girl, you clean up good. Too bad I'm into men this week or I would be all over your Okie a.s.s."

"Thanks, I think." Harper said, shyly.

The women meandering around the table burst into laughter, at the exchange, while they found their seats.

Abby sat next to Lauren. She leaned in and spoke over the new Karaoke singer, "We had to come. We heard you could sing. Might I add, you have made a fabulous recovery from last evening. You look lovely, you too, Lauren. You both look radiant."

Julie piped in, "You better be careful, people will say you're in love."

Harper was mortified and sure her expression showed it.

Julie added dryly, "Don't get your panties in a wad, I was just kidding."

Harper tried to ignore Julie. She turned her attention back to Abby, "Who told you I could sing?"

Abby thought for a minute, "I think Chita told Alicia and Alicia told me. I don't know who told Chita."

Harper turned on Lauren, "What did you tell Shelby?"

"She said you probably wouldn't like Karaoke night and I told her just what you told me, that you liked it," Lauren said defensively.

"I did say I liked it, but I did not say I could sing," Harper reiterated.

Abby laughed, "It's too late now. Put up or shut up, Okie."

Harper and Lauren's tequilas arrived. Harper picked one of the shot gla.s.ses up and said, "To liquid courage." She downed the shot and got up to look at the Karaoke book and pick out her song.

Harper looked through the selections, occasionally looking back at the table. Everyone was engrossed in conversations. She wondered how many of them were about her. Her selection made and her name added to the list, she resumed her seat at the end of the table. Lauren, Abby and Julie were in a deep, very animated conversation that ceased when Harper sat down. That answered her question, because she was sure she had been the topic of that conversation. Lauren was flushed. She looked a little angry.

Harper tapped Lauren on the knee to get her attention. They had to put their heads together because the next singer was belting out "You're Gonna Love Me" from Dreamgirls.

Harper whispered in Lauren's ear, "I was just checking to see how st.u.r.dy these tables are. Remember, momma said you haven't lived till you've danced on a table and sung a Motown tune with your friends. My momma was a wise woman."

Lauren sat back in her chair and laughed. She took a shot with Harper and they ordered another round, only this time Harper ordered just two, one for each, double Kamikazes and two bottles of water. This was going to be a wild night. Harper made sure to eat well, before leaving the house; she wouldn't make the same mistake twice. She nibbled on pretzel sticks just in case. She watched as Lauren began to loosen up. Lauren dropped her head back in an all out laugh, at something Abby said.

Harper strained to hear over the newest rendition of the latest Adam Lambert hit. Abby seemed to be telling a story about catching her fifteen year old climbing out her bedroom window. Harper leaned in closer and Abby spoke up so she could hear.

"I sat down on the edge of her bed. Annie still had one foot on the floor, sitting in the windowsill, like a demented owl. Looking at me, looking out the window, trying to decide whether it was better to try and make a getaway or sit there and take what was coming to her."

"I said, aAnnie, you have a decision to make. You can climb out that window and get caught, just like I did. You can sit home for a month with no phone and no computer, no communication devices of any kind, let me make that clear. You can make it through a month, no sweat, h.e.l.l it's worth the risk. You can then continue to sneak out until the cops bring you home one night, just like happened to me."

Julie piped in, "That summer was a b.i.t.c.h."